A beautiful mind
by Regin Ash
Summary: What if the invasion never happened? None of the Mighty Ducks ever met, that is until Mallory McMallard, a patient at a mental facility sets events in motion that bring them together.
1. Chapter 1

_She was ten-years-old, having her father chase her around the ice, laughing. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud to be seen. She had no worries. Her mother was sitting on the park bench, calling out to her husband and child to be careful. Mallory thought she was fast enough but found out quickly her father was faster. He caught her, swinging her around playfully._

_ "Gotcha!"_

_ She laughed and squirmed. "Daddy no!" He began to tickle her._

_ Then suddenly the tranquility of the day was shattered as balls of fire free-fell to the ground and huge machines made the ground tremble. _

_ Two great beams of light shot towards the family, blowing them off their feet as they sank into the ice. _

…_..._

_ Mallory woke up sometime later, hurting. Opening her eyes she recoiled from the body of her father next to her. Farther away, her mother laid also dead. _

_ She whimpered and then the screaming began._

"She's been like this since last night," the doctor was saying, as he and two ducks stood, looking through a one-way glass at a red-head female duck.

"It was another episode?" The woman asked.

"Yes," the doctor responded.

The woman let out a choked sob, "this is all my fault..."

The male duck sighed, his tone annoyed. "We've been over this Minerca, she's sick in the head. It's nothing you or I did. I'm just glad it didn't spread to our kids."

"Our kids?" Minerca's head snapped up, "_Our Kids?_ What is she Fender? Is she not our child?"

Fender stared at his wife coldly, "she stopped being my child long ago." With that he left.

…...

Mallory heard the door open behind her, but hardly responded to it. She sat quietly, observing the colorful scenery around her. The Beak mountains.

"Mallory?"

"Shh," she shushed. A Glordo was coming into view, its graceful legs pawing through the snow and its long antlers curving backwards towards its head. The annoying voice would startle the Glordo.

"What do you see?"

"Nothing..." Mallory snapped, her sudden loud tones scaring the Glordo off. "You scared it."

"I'm sorry." Her mother came to stand in front of her. "Doctor Glidel has told me you stopped taking your medication."

Mallory didn't answer her, instead she stared at the now blank wall.

"Mallory?"

She wasn't listening, she was focused on something that Minerca couldn't hear. "I hear machines."

"There are no machines dear, you're in a room with me."

Mallory shook her head, "they're loud, really loud...and they have faces...they're red."

In the opposite room, through the one way glass, a techie muttered, "sounds like she's describing a Saurian battleship."

Doctor Glidel silenced him with a glare. "Impossible...and never bring up that word in my presence, understand me?"

"Yes sir."

In the room, Mallory had clasped her hand over her ears. "It's loud!"

"Mallory, there's nothing here, you're seeing things that aren't there," her mother explained smoothly.

"It's here damn it!" The red head yelled, irate.

"Get her sedated," Doctor Glidel ordered an orderly, who quickly uncapped a syringe and barged into the room, stabbing her with the needle as she tried to fight him off. She lost consciousness after a few seconds, slumping to the floor.

Minerca was crying, "how do you end this? I want my daughter back," she demanded of the doctor glanced at her stiffly.

"I don't know Mrs. McMallard."

…...

**Later**

Mallory woke up to her name being called. Sluggishly, she sat up and then stood from her bed, listening.

Drawing nearer to her patient room door, she saw flames dances outside the window and smoke furling underneath. She backed up, terrified. She turned and ran back to her bed, slapping the knob of a communicator that would alert the nurse.

Her door opened several seconds later. "Mallory what is it?" Simone appeared, her expression showing she already knew what to expect.

"Fire, there was a fire..." Mallory stared at the window of her door, fire was no longer there.

"There isn't a fire, see?" Simone swung the door open to emphasize her point. "No fire, now calm down and go to sleep."

"There is a fire..." Mallory insisted, "Fire..." A series of pictures began to reel through her mind. "Floor Two-Two -Eight..." she recited what she was seeing, "patient #37899...it's happening!"

Simone shook her head and shut Mallory's door, locking it.

…...

**Later**

Charger and TJ were enjoying a few minutes of bliss, sharing a joint of rolled up illegal Soot as they called it on the streets. On screen of the security cameras they were supposed to be watching, smoke was curling under the door of patient # 37899.

"This is some good shit,"

"I know, "TJ agreed.

It wasn't until there was a audible explosion that the two guards looked up, surprised to see camera 7 on floor two-two-eight blinded by a fiery blaze.

"Holy shit," Charger exclaimed, leaping to his feet. "What the hell is that?"

The two guards ran out of the room.


	2. Follow the nutty brick road

**Entry Log # 5784: Psychiatric Evaluation 2**

Q: "State your name for the record..."

A: "Duke L'orange."

Q: "Where are you Duke?"

A: "Iceling City Hospital, Psychiatric Unit"

Q: "Why are you here Duke?"

Duke stretched back in his seat, laying his feet up on the table, reclining comfortably. He took his time with the question, after all he was insane, wasn't he?

"I'm a kleptomaniac."

"Right," the doctor checked something off on her chart. "And how are we going to fix this?"

Duke shrugged, "I like jewels, always have, always will." He flashed the female doctor a smile who flustered.

"Not the point Duke, please some constructive criticism."

Duke grew somber, "constructive, now there's a word..." He glanced out the small evaluation door window and saw a red-headed female slink by with two large orderlies on either side of her. Her red uniform instantly marked her as the more unstable patients of the hospital, _red means a nut-job_, Duke thought, _unlike me where green simply means you gotta problem. _

"_Duke, Duke..._DUKE,"

He glanced back at his therapist who was growing increasingly annoyed by the minute. "Can I call you Glade?"

"No," she replied shortly.

"Okay, well put it this way...I don't want to steal-afterall who wants to be jailed all the time and be on first name basis with every friggin cop out there? But my hand itches, I get this itch every time I'm near something like a jewel...I just have to take it. You getting' me?"

Mmm, I think so," she said mockingly serious, "you have OCD."

Duke let out a short burst of air, "no, not quite what I was goin' for..."

…...

**The Mess hall: two hours later**

Normally Duke stayed away from the far right side of the large cafeteria, but on that particular day, he felt the need to stretch his legs. It was there he tried to ignore the mentally impaired patients eating the pieces to games their nurses were trying to play with them and the other patients who spoke of flying creatures in the room.

_I gotta get outta here, this place will do things to ya._

He spotted a familiar red-headed female sitting alone, staring out the window. Adding pathological womanizer to his kleptomania, he strolled over to her and sat down.

"So, what's your ailment? Blindingly beautiful?"

She glanced at him dully, not saying anything. Then she finally spoke. "Paranoid schizophrenic."

"Schizo huh?" He looked around at the other patients and shrugged, "guess it's better than being a pathological drooler."

Pathological drooler is not an illness..." she murmured.

"Uh-huh, so tell me about yourself."

She stood, "no." And walked away.

Duke watched her go, "it's okay...I can take a hint...see ya around."

She paused, staring at him, before disappearing through the cafeteria door.

…...

**1900hours: Mission Command Unit A-4**

Wildwing Flashblade couldn't believe he had made it through what the other cadets had called living hell or aka the LSAT's. (Link sub Astro Test) He still didn't know what those words had to do with Iceling's Military base; he resolved to ask Canard once he found him.

"Yo Wing!"

He turned and saw his best friend striding towards him.

"You made it," Canard clapped him on the back. "See? I told you you would. You thought I lied."

"I didn't think I made it, I thought I bombed it," Wildwing admitted.

"Nah, gotta have faith..."

Their reunion was cut short as Wing Commander Flingerr stiffly confronted them in salute. The two saluted back before going at ease on the commander's command.

"There's a situation that requires your attention Captain."

"Yes sir," Canard replied, "permission to bring Private Flashblade along Sir?"

The commander glanced at Wildwing, "permission granted Captain. Report to room 45 immediately."

"Yes sir," the two drakes said in unison, saluting once more. They headed off for room 45.

…...

The two took their seats at a long table occupied by lieutenants, captains and several commanders. A large screen had been pulled down from the ceiling and a projector sat on the table facing it.

The leading officer, Commander Salazar Flightwyng lost no time addressing all present about new rumors of Saurian threats.

"We have these threats every day," he said, "and we all know that there's a risk...there will always be a risk."

"Sir," Lieutenant Marsha Cyldetale spoke, "if I may, what's provoked this meeting? We all know of the threats the Saurians have made, they have nothing better to do than to wreak havoc."

Others nodded in agreement with her.

"This did," the drake turned the projector on. It whined as it started up, a surveillance footage growing clearer. It showed a female duck sitting in what looked like an interrogation room. She was talking disjointedly.

"_I hear machines."_

A new voice interrupted the woman speaking. "_There are no machines dear, you're in a room with me."_

"_They're loud, really loud...and they have faces...they're red."_

The commander paused the footage, "it's a description of a Saurian battleship."

"Who is that woman?" Another officer asked.

"She's a paranoid schizophrenic in Iceling's City hospital, her name is Mallory McMallard."

"Fender McMallard's daughter?"

"The same one," the commander tossed the remote down onto the table. "So-"

"Sir," Canard spoke up, "if she's schizo then why put Puckworld on red-alert? I mean she's nuts, so it would just be wasted money."

Commander Flightwyng studied him for a long minute, long enough to make Canrd wonder if he had insulted his superior.

"You're right Captain, why do such a thing..." He grabbed the remote and flicked to a new screen of footage.

A female duck was reporting a fire that occurred at the city hospital over night.

"I don't understand Sir," Canard continued.

The Commander flicked to another footage. This time of a patient's cell. It was of the red-head again. She was spouting off to an orderly about a fire on a different floor of the hospital, located in another patient's room.

"How did you get this?" Lieutenant Clydetale whispered in awe.

"I've been following her for some time now. The hospital gives me everything on her, she really is something...she's predicted a lot of happenings," the commander glanced at Canard, "and she's never been wrong.

"I have an assignment for you Canard."

The tan duck snapped to attention, "sir?"

"I want you to convince her to come here, under supervised watch, she's just the thing we need."

"You're kidding," Canard slipped. He quickly coughed and apologized. "Forgive me..."

"I never kid," the commander said stoutly. "I want her here by 0600hours."

"Yes sir," Canard agreed, "0600hours. She'll be here."

The meeting was adjourned.

"How hard can that be? Convincing a head case to come to a fortified military base?" Canard hissed in Wildwing's ear.

"I'll come with you."

"Okay, thanks Wing."

Wing watched his friend disappear into the crowd; despite himself, he was intrigued by the young red-head. She may be nuts but she was still very interesting.

…...

**Iceling City Hospital :0400hours**

Despite the time, Wildwing wasn't tired, he was excited, though he kept this from Canard as they followed a grizzled doctor to the red-head, Mallory's room.

They stopped in front of a door, labeled 3B as the doctor fished out a key. "Ten minutes, that's it. If she's not receptive, you leave. I don't want her stressed and I really don't care much for your commander."

Canard didn't answer, an action Wildwing knew as a way of his best friend not planning to listen to directions. He knew Canard wasn't leaving without her, one way or another. They removed their government issued caps, stowed them under their arms and went inside.

"Miss McMallard," Canard began, "We are with Puckworld's Special Forces. I am Captain Canard Thunderbeak, this is Private Wildwing Flashblade."

She didn't move as she stared at them.

"We have a proposition for you," he continued.

"Why can't men leave me alone," she said.

"Excuse me?"

She fixed them with a vehement glare. "All I get are _propositions_ from men. I'm tired of it." she stood up suddenly, making Canard jump back into Wildwing.

She smiled, "I'm nuts Captain Thunderbeak, I'm not violent so keep your tailfeathers together."

Wildwing fought hard to keep a straight face, he liked her.

"Your tapes say otherwise Miss McMallard."

She shrugged, "it's not me in those videos."

Canard raised an eyebrow, "are you going to tell me that aliens abducted you and put a masquerader in your place?"

"No, that's a lie...this is me when I'm dosed extremely high on Fedamine. Those tapes are me when I refuse to take them which is a lot. They make me sick."

"Well," Canard brought the conversation back on track. "We're here on behalf of Commander Flightwyng, he wants you to come to the base where you will be given quarters to yourself."

"-And leave this shit-hole? How tempting..." She murmured sarcastically. "What happens to me should I go?"

"There's an understanding that you can predict events."

She became very still. "What?"

"You predicted a fire here at this hospital and boom it happened, the Commander is very interested in how you managed that."

"So, in other words, I'm to be experimented on."

"No, that's illegal-"

"Like hell it is, they still do it and don't tell me for a minute they don't."

His silence was enough to answer her statement.

"Are you in or not Miss McMallard?"

"I'm not,"

"Well, I thought I'd be polite and give you a choice but the fact of the matter is Miss McMallard, you don't have a choice."

"It's a free country, No."

Canard felt himself getting slightly annoyed at the stubbornness she was projecting. Why was _he sent_ to retrieve this pain-in-the-ass.

The doctor tapped on the door, signaling the ten minutes were up. Wildwing decided to try.

"Miss McMallard, you'd get more freedom being on the base. I'm sure you don't like being walled up in here constantly."

"It keeps me safe," she replied softly. Then as a contradiction she said, "freedom?"

"Yes, as long as you took your medication, there would be no reason to lock you up."

She was weighing the possibilities he could tell. Finally just as the doctor was visibly expressing his displeasure at being ignored and the two officers doubted she would ever give them an answer, she murmured one word.

"Okay."

…...

"We're to take one more patient here," Canard said to Wildwing, stopping him from pressing the first floor button in the elevator. Canard pressed three.

"Who?"

"A patient named Duke L'orange, the Commander wrote him in as a last minute thing upon deciding to get this McMallard chick."

"What's his problem?"

Canard grinned at him, "klepto." He stepped out of the elevator. Wildwing followed him in disbelief, quickly shoving his wallet into an inside pocket of his coat.

"Fortunately, this one already said he'd come." They turned a corner and saw a grey feathered duck waiting patiently. Not much was amazing about him except that he wore an eyepatch.

"You're handicapped?" Canard asked surprised.

The duck stood up, "nah," he lifted it to show a normal eye, "just think it gives me an edge, you know with the ladies." He winked a passing orderly who blushed and hurried away.

"Okay," Canard said slowly, "just to let you know, if you do that with any women where you're going, you will find yourself missing extremities. Understand?"

"Sure."

"No, not sure...yes."

"Yes-_sir_," Duke parroted.

Canard was so ready to leave the nut unit, which he did quickly, leaving Wildwing to ensure Duke L'orange followed.


	3. Settling in? Maybe not

They waited, Canard impatient and Wildwing a little more lax. Finally the door opened and Mallory walked out, wearing normal clothes. Wildwing lost his train of thought as he studied her. She was exceptionally pretty. In his mind, he had envisioned her an old snaggly-toothed hag. Instead Mallory McMallard was anything but.

"Well?" She demanded.

Putting his eyes back in his head, he realized Canard had been as frozen as him.

"S'up sweetheart, fancy seein' you here..." Duke L'orange broke the silence, taking a step forward.

Canard gripped his arm, pulling him back away from her. "Back off lover-boy."

She gazed at L'orange cooly. "What is he doing here? Is he coming with us?"

"-He's coming for the same reason you're coming with us."

"Drake," she groaned.

"Drake? I'd say lucky..." Duke continued.

She rolled her eyes.

"Can we go?" Canard cut in as Duke opened his mouth again.

…...

Outside it was cold, Wildwing put his hat on and paused when Mallory didn't follow him. She stood, rooted to the spot in front of the revolving door.

"Are you coming?"

She shot him an unexpected glare. "I want another door..."

He took a step towards her, "there isn't another door Miss McMallard."

"Then I'm not coming," she gave it an apprehensive look as it slowed its movement and then sped up again.

Wildwing glanced at Canard who was next to the government issued car, waiting. At seeing Wildwing turn to him, he put his hands up waiting.

Wilwing sighed and went back into the building. She backed away from him, suspicious.

"Take my hand."

"Why?" Her voice was accusatory.

"Because when you take my hand, I promise you, the door won't hurt you."

She stared at his out stretched hand and then at his face. At first it didn't appear she was going to be compliant, but then she tugged gloves on and gingerly took his hand like it was a waiting IED.

He brought her to the door and guided her into the door. Accidentally she treaded too close, forcing it to stop, trapping them. The claustrophobia overrode her reasoning, she backed up fast into Wildwing.

_Shit._

"Hey, it's okay...listen to me, you're okay. The door stops when you're too close to it."

She paused, her expression reminding him of a child focused on her teacher.

"See?" The door began moving again. Once there was an opening, she jumped out of it, putting as much distance as she could from it without being too far from Wildwing.

"Come on Miss McMallard," Canard called.

…...

**0600hours: Puckworld Special Forces-Lab D45**

Tanya Vanderflock picked up a clipboard and studied her subject through the one-way glass window. Mallory McMallard was different from an average schizophrenic. Most Tanya had been in contact with were either catatonic, talking to themselves constantly or chewing on the games pieces as the nurses tried to get them to interact.

Mallory was alert and never talked to herself. She was quiet, her eyes taking in everything. It made Tanya wonder if the girl was even schizo.

"What do you have Doctor?"

Tanya didn't even turn to acknowledge the Commander; it was one of the perks at being the smartest duck employed in the Puckworld Military. She couldn't be replaced by just anyone.

"She's interesting, that's for sure."

Commander Flightwyng pursed his lips. "And Doctor?"

Tanya turned to her clipboard. "There's nothing special about her...her bloodwork is normal. Schizophrenia is hard to detect physically, though she doesn't seem to possess the condition. Are you sure she even has it?"

"She has it," the commander stated abruptly. "I want a full report on my desk as soon as possible."

"Yes sir."

…...

**Night Time**

_The air was rank with the stench of death. The sky blood-red and the screams were horrifying. Ducks were dying left and right, their eyes open and glazed as they sprawled in the mud. Upon further reflection, the mud wasn't mud at all, but instead a steady warm ooze of blood. _

_Mallory lowered her eyes, numbly, to the snow that was quickly melting under the red bodily fluids. She wanted it to end, everything to end..._

"Miss McMallard?"

She opened her eyes, noting how rigid she was, she found she didn't care. "Private Flashblade."

"You can call me Wildwing."

At her expression, he blushed. "I mean if you want to...I don't expect you-you don't have to-" He promptly shut up.

"What do you want Private Flashblade?"

He took his cap off. "I just wanted to make sure you were settled."

She gave the room a distain look. "Yes, I am settled...is that all?" She paced away, her steps measured and graceful.

"For now."

_She looked to the east where fire seemed to be the land itself. A Saurian Hunter o-390 rose almost lazily into the sky. Its skeletal face sharp and sleek. _

Wildwing watched her as her eyes began to get a far away look. He took a step forward. "Miss McMallard?"

_The ship turned and headed towards her, its search light getting brighter and brighter as it closed in on her. She didn't move, instead she stood her ground, watching it. _

"Miss McM-Mallory?"

_It was so close, hovering above her. She closed her eyes, feeling the wind whip across her face as the snow, ice and dust whipped her cheeks. She opened her eyes-_

A warm hand touched her shoulder, hesitantly. Instinct overrode her senses as she grabbed his hand and twisted it behind his back, her other arm choked him in a head-lock.

"Do not touch me."

"Okay, okay...I'm sorry. I won't do it again, I promise."

Her door was kicked in as three commandos barged in, weapons drawn on her. "Stand down," Canard appeared. "Miss McMallard...let him go."

Several higher chains of command followed him in..

"A Saurian Hunter o-390 is closing in on Base Rosetta-Bing," she stated, her hold still tight on Wildwing.

The males all blinked in surprise. "You've seen something?"

"No, I heard it on the video box."

It took Canard a few seconds to understand she meant the VV, or Visual Vision and that she was being sarcastic.

"Miss McMallard, if you don't release Priva-"

She let go of Wildwing abruptly, pushing him away from her with a stunning amount of strength.

"This is preposterous," one of the commander's said out loud. "Saurians haven't even sneezed in our atmosphere since the days of Drake Ducaine."

"Fine...I made it up," she snarled, her glare swept to Wildwing. "And tell him to buzz off."

Eight pairs of eyes landed on Wildwing who coughed, embarrassed. "I-I never did anythi-anything to-to-"

_The whining of the Saurian Hunter o-390 was getting louder, she thought her eardrums would pop as the screaming skated over and over her brain like a ice skate. _

She shut her eyes, trying to ignore the shrill whining. She was finding it harder and harder to focus.

_Pssshh _"Captain Thunderbeak."

She opened her eyes again.

Canard had a communicator in his hand. "Come in."

"Rosetta-Bing is picking up Saurian signals."

Mallory watched the tan -colored duck's face slacken as his eyes met hers.

"We're on our way."

…...

**Somewhere on the ice**

"He steals the puck!" Nosedive Flashblade was heading in the opposite direction before the opposing team even figured out he was in possession of the puck. "He heads towards the goal and he aims, he shoots...HE SCORES!"

The puck slapped the goal net, just as the alarm sounded, ending the game.

The opposing team's faces grew long with forlornness. Nosedive didn't pause long to contempt their _loss _as he spotted his brother among the crowd that had gathered to watch them.

"S'up bro,"

"Dive." Wildwing studied the kid's clothes. "When was the last time you were home?"

Dive shrugged, "Ecovain doesn't like me much and Ma isn't ready to let go of him yet."

Wildwing sighed, "come with me."

"Nah, I'm fine." Dive shifted his beat-up duffel bag onto his shoulder.

"Dive-"

"I'm fine Wing!" Dive snapped, "you got your life and I got mine."

Wildwing swallowed, "I never meant for this to happen-"

"-Yeah well, it did. Deal with it," Dive brushed by him, heading off to drake only know where.

Wildwing half turned, watching his brother's retreating back. "Some day kid," he murmured, "some day I'll make it right."

…...

**Rosetta-Bing Air Force Base: 1200kilo-clicks South**

"How much farther?" Canard stood up from his chair and watched the front windshield of the Aerowing.

"Rosetta-Bing is coming up in less than three minutes," a female flight operator relayed.

"Good, ready the Aerowing for landing." Canard punched in a communicator. "Rosetta-Bing, this is Captain Canard Thunderbeak, Commanding officer of Aerowing 7269, we are requesting permission to land from PSF..."

He waited for a response. None came.

"Rosetta-Bing...thirty seconds," the female relayed again.

"Rosetta-Bing-" Canard began again, "This is Canard Thunderbeak...Captain and commanding officer of Aerowing 7269...do you copy?"

"5 seconds...

4

3

2

1"

The aerowing lifted over a jutted mountain cliff and came upon a grisled sight. "Holy shit-" Canard breathed.

Rosetta-Bing Air Force Base was on fire. The buildings making up the base were smoldering under the blaze.

"C-Captain? Orders?" A cadet asked shakily, as everyone on board stared in horror at the sight before them.

Canard stood frozen, staring at the destroyed military base.

"Sir?"

Before he could answer, a Saurian Hunter o-390 rose into the sky from behind the main command tower.

"Damn it," Canard hissed. "Turn this thing around, all maximum power to the thrusters, turn off all power to anything we don't need NOW." He kicked a cadet out of the main driving seat and strapped himself in.

"Commander Flightwyng, we have a situation, Rosetta-Bing has been breached, repeat Rosetta-Bing has been breached."

The communicator fizzed as the commander replied to his report.

"Sir, all communication is down..." the female relayed, her voice shaking slightly. "They haven't even fired on us."

Canard glanced down at the transparent computer screen, noting how the computer was garbling, it's neon screen fading. "Shit." He tapped a few commands on the screen and saw nothing worked. They were sitting ducks.

"Turn off the Autopilot to everything," he shouted over his shoulder.

"B-but sir, we not allowed to commandeer an Aerowing manually, not at the speeds this thing flies at," the cadet he had thrown out of his seat said.

"Are you commanding officer Cadet?"

"No sir."

"Remember that, turn off autopilot."

The others quickly complied.

"Don't crap out on me baby," Canard said to himself as he slapped the thrusters forward, in response the Aerowing shot forward, disappearing in a blinding flash.


	4. Annoyance: a twoway street

**Interrogation Room 1-o**

"How did you know?" Commander Flightwyng barked in Mallory's face. She glanced at him, unperturbed and didn't answer.

"McMallard, I asked you a question."

Through a one-way glass, Tanya, Canard, Wildwing and a few others watched tensely. "He needs to be nicer to her," Tanya muttered.

Canard blinked her way and then unfolded his arms, letting himself into the room. "Sir, I'd like to talk to her..."

Flightwyng straightened, "sure Captain."

"-Alone."

Flightwyng rolled his eyes. "Fine. Two minutes." He stomped out.

Canard sat down, gesturing for her to do the same. "Please sit Mallory."

"No."

Annoyance passed in his face at her insubordinate snap. "Fine...I want to know what your condition is."

Her eyebrows pinched together, "you already know."

"I want to hear it from you. What is your condition?"

She remained silent.

"Miss-"

"Stop calling me Miss McMallard...It's annoying."

"I'm glad, the feeling is mutual. Answer me." He leaned forward for a mug of water only to have it to fly off the table and smash against the wall.

"What the hell was that?" Commander Flightwyng uttered in sheer shock.

No one answered him.

In the room, Mallory seemed to be coming out of a trance. She blinked confused. "What happened?"

Canard didn't respond, instead he returned his gaze to the broken mug and its contents seeping into the rug. Finally he found his voice, "that's something you don't see everyday."

She was staring at the mug too. "I'm paranoid schizophrenic."

…...

"Like hell she is, not after that display..." Commander Flightwyng adjusted his uniform as he walked through the endless halls of the base.

"Sir, she could very well be," Tanya piped up from the back of the group.

The commander whorled around, "really Vanderflock? Did you see the mug fly? Canard never touched it...how do you explain that?"

Tanya didn't hide her aggravation. "There is another condition that is often attached to schizophrenia in creatures like us."

"Oh? What's that?" Flightwyng crossed his arms.

She took a breath, "it's called telekinesis...an individual can move objects with their minds."

Silence.

"Ridiculous," Flightwyng scoffed, "I've never heard of such a thing."

"Right," Tanya shot back, "_you_ haven't heard of it, therefore _it_ doesn't exist."

Flightwyng's face twisted in fury. "You will remember your place _Vanderflock_."

"No Commander, Rosetta-Bing is gone...it's been leveled Sir. And that girl knows it, knew it before it happened. You need to stop treating her like a prized prisoner and start getting on her good side. Without her, we are screwed."

Flightwyng looked like he was slapped in the face. "Tanya Vand-"

"Sir I agree with her," Wildwing interrupted, next to him, Canard gave him a shut-up-look; an expression the white duck ignored. "Mi-Mallory may be compromised mentally, but she's not stupid. She could and does have the mental capacity to screw us over if we piss her off."

Flightwyng pursed his lips, mulling over Wildwing's statement. "Understood Flashblade, you have potential I see." He blew out air, still thinking. "I want her placed in a even-keeled environment."

"Sir?" Canard asked.

"Tanya,"

The blonde duck snapped to attention. "Yes sir."

"Give Hardwing a call."

…...

**Across the city**

Check Hardwing, more informally known as Grin by his peers was in the middle of meditating. He was feeling himself slip deeper into relaxation, barely noticing the aromas swirling around the room as he breathed slowly in and out. Then the communicator rang beeped.

He opened his eyes, his gaze landing on the communicator as it beeped and vibrated on a table. He never moved his head as he kept his face pointed straight ahead, leveled and relaxed.

_It'll turn off..._

BZZZT

_Any moment now..._

BZZZT

_Now..._

BZZZT

Grin groaned and stood up, his large hand closing around the device. "I hope this is important."

"Grin, it's Tanya."

…...

"Is this custom to move guests of the military several hundred times?" Mallory's voice hid any trace of sarcasm, making Canard a little uneasy about how to answer her. He opted to answer her as soothingly as possible.

"No, we have a contact outside of the base...you'll find his residence more comfortable than being here." He faced her.

"Is that L'orange or whatever his name is coming?"

"No ma'am."

She nodded. "Good...I swear he's gay." She grabbed her satchel and stalked out of the room, leaving Canard momentarily frozen.

"Gay..." he said to himself, "sure."

…...

"And so I dropped the last hundred feet-"

"You did," the two young female cadets' eyes were as round as saucers. "You could have broken a bone."

"Nah, I mean yes, I could have, but I was lucky...must be the body of steel." Duke L'orange took a breath to end his story in a big way when a hand yanked him up from his chair.

"Don't you two cadets have somewhere to be?" Canard asked.

The two girls flustered, giggling like school-girls as they blushed at Canard. "Y-yes sir..." They went away rather quickly, stealing glances back at the "dashing captain."

"Hey there, Thunderbeak," L'orange gave him a goofy grin.

"What did you steal from them?" Canard demanded.

"Nothing."

Canard didn't release him, waiting.

"Okay, okay," Duke forked over the girls' two wallets. "I'm a klepto...what do you expect?"

"I expect that you behave like Mallory and at least _try _to control yourself."

"Mallory? Oh the red-head...has she asked about m-?"

"No," Canard answered sharply.

"Just thought I'd ask," Duke grumbled. _Damnit._

…...

Mallory studied the apartment, no detail left untouched by her as she analyzed everything. It was spacious with soft blue walls, a large multicolored ice sculpture in the middle with water cascading down it in thin streams.

A large grey duck met them in the foyer, without him introducing himself, she knew who he was. _Strange._

_He skated down the ice, his jersey number, 1, a blur as he evaded two-legged non-feathered aliens in a game of hockey. He passed the puck to someone _she _couldn't see as the alien tried to check him into the boards. They merely bounced off him. _

"Welcome Mallory," Grin greeted her, his attitude, tone and posture all calm and reserved. "I've heard so much about you." He put his hand out.

_He slowed and turned gracefully around, his large hand coming down on her shoulder in a friendly victory._

She took his hand, still puzzled. Her uneasiness evaporated.

…...

"She's paranoid Schiz Grin," Tanya murmured as he followed her to the door. "Be careful."

"I can handle her," he returned, his tone confident.

"You said that about Bernie."

A rare smile lit Grin's face, "Bernie was psychotic...I don't believe Mallory is."

"No, but we have reason to suspect she's telekinetic too."

"Really?" He became more attentive. "She's gifted you know."

Tanya sighed, "PSF doesn't think so...Grin," she took a step closer, her tone pleading. "Don't give them a reason to think she's dangerous...because then she will be."

"I won't."

…...

Wildwing fell quiet as the G.I car passed the slums of the city, his eyes searching the homeless. Canard noticed. "If he was in trouble Wing, you'd know about it."

"I do know about it," Wing replied. "He's living on the streets. That isn't trouble?"

Canard shrugged. "He has a home, he chooses to not go there."

Wildwing shook his head, "Ecovain is nasty to him, he always has been and my mother won't stick up for him."

Canard shrugged again, "that isn't your problem Wing. Dive needs to figure life out for himself."

"I'm his brother Canard. Are you telling me, you'd honestly leave your younger sibling out to fend for himself?"

"My brother isn't a loser."

Wildwing felt his brain go blank for a moment as he attempted to understand what Canard had just said.

"Dive isn't a loser...he has issues I wasn't there to help fix when no one else was willing to do it. I'm as much to blame. When you're fifteen and can't read above grade 1 literature, you stop trying."

Canard didn't answer to that.

Wildwing turned his head to the window again, searching...

…...

**Across the city**

Mallory got up some time during the night, she hated her medication. It never let her sleep and it was pissing her off.

She padded her way down the hall, passing Grin's bedroom as his snores rumbled through the hallway.

Entering the open-concept living room/kitchen, she froze upon seeing a dark figure lounging on the couch, his arms stretched behind his head, his face glowing from the video box. He glanced over his shoulder and then jumped up to face her.

"Oh-hey," he scratched his head. "Do you live here?"

She didn't know what to say. "I'm residing here, yes."

"Huh, I must have the wrong apartment..." His tone told her that he was confused. "Sorry about that. Thought this was Grin's place, I could'a sworn it was."

"This is Grin's residence."

He paused in the middle of hoisting an old duffel bag onto his shoulder. "Oh- I thought so..." He let it drop to the floor, studying her. "So-I'm, uh, Nosedive...Dive for short."

_A player with blonde hair...too fast and slick to even make out anything else._

Her hand flew to her forehead as she tried to block out the mental images.

"What's your name? Are you okay?" His hand touched her arm at which she jumped.

"I'm fine," she managed, his touch brought her back to present, she found she was calmer with him. "I'm Mallory."

He nodded. "I come here occasionally to crash, keep the place neat for Grin, not that it isn't already," the kid sat down as he chattered.

In a far part of her mind, Mallory liked the fact that he talked to her like she was normal. There was no officialese from the base, no constant waiting like she was a bomb ready to explode with Tanya, _no wooing_ from L'orange. Even Grin was careful with his words. But this kid, Nosedive, treated her like she was normal, not a Schizophrenic. She liked him.


	5. The red and blonde Factor

**Residence of Mr. And Mrs. Fender McMallard: 01000hours**

"Have you ever noticed objects-" Commander Flightwyng sipped his cup before continuing his speech, "-move on their own?"

"Move?" Minerica echoed. "Occas-"

"Minerica," Fender cut in sharply, "no, we haven't...why do you ask?"

Flightwyng exchanged glances with his officers. "We have reason to believe your daughter is also telekinetic. She can move objects with barely a thought process behind it."

Minerica let out a gasp, "oh...oh no..."

Fender only looked nauseated, "has this doctor you were talking about found anything on her to point to what this is?"

"Dr. Vanderflock ran extensive tests...nothing pointed to anything. It appears that this is as normal as your hand is normal to your-"

"This is NOT normal," Fender hissed. "We have two other kids, they're not like that freak."

Flightwyng paused, thinking his next words over carefully. "Of course not, and we are trying to figure this out. There's no guarantee in fixing her, but it can be controlled."

"And then what?" Minerica asked.

"Well, General Beektail has expressed interest in harnessing those-abilities for PSF and Puckworld."

"Harnessing? You mean-using her as a weapon?"

Flightwyng shrugged, "she can be useful under the right hand. She successfully relayed information of military compound Rosetta-Bing being breached by Saurians...we arrived too late, but nonetheless she predicted it."

"What? Rosetta-Bing-" Fender sputtered.

"Yes sir, you two have quite a kid."

The two sat in stunned silence at what their daughter had accomplished.

"So she won't ever be normal," Minerica reiterated.

"No ma'am, most likely not."

Minerica hung her head. No daughter, ever.

…...

**Across the city**

Mallory passed by the bathroom door, hearing Nosedive singing as he took a shower. She halted, listening to his off-key lyrics, not knowing what to think. Grin sat at his high rise counter, rolling his eyes.

"Do you feel bad for me?" He rumbled.

She didn't answer, but he knew her response was in her two-second tentative smile. Exactly fourteen minutes later, Dive was out of the shower, wearing clean clothes and attempting to comb his hair right with his fingers.

"S'up Grin, miss me?"

"I did, I didn't miss your-(_sigh_) singing though."

"Nah, my singing is gonna make me big someday," Dive gave the big duck a goofy smile.

Grin snorted into his cup.

Mallory sat carefully onto a stool as Grin slid a cup of W towards her and a small tray of ice cubes. She froze with one hand in the air, staring at the cubes.

_She was ten-years-old, having her father chase her around the ice, laughing. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud to be seen. She had no worries. Her mother was sitting on the park bench, calling out to her husband and child to be careful..._

No, her parents were alive, living in the richest part of the city.

_Mallory thought she was fast enough but found out quickly her father was faster. He caught her, swinging her around playfully._

"_Gotcha!"_

_She laughed and squirmed. "Daddy no!" He began to tickle her._

She shoved at the tray with her mind, making it slide backwards with a resounding scrap. Grin's eyes were on her as were Nosedive. She lifted her own eyes to Grin's. "I don't need ice..." She refused to look at Dive, sipping the W and trying to ignore the burning as the hot liquid seared her mouth.

"As you wish," Grin took back the tray rather quickly, also ignoring Nosedive's persistent looks.

Afterwards, she locked herself in the bathroom and took a bath, she hated the nozzle and the sound it made while taking a shower.

She laid for more than an hour, her head resting just above the water level as she stared blankly and not blinking into the corner.

…...

"Where is she?" Tanya demanded within the first few seconds of arriving with Canard and Wildwing in tow.

"She's in the bathroom where she's been for quite some time now," Grin scratched his head.

"You haven't checked on her?" Canard chastised.

"Well, she's-naked I assumed, I didn't want to disturb her."

"Listen to me," Canard stepped into Grin's face, "she's G.I property, I don't care if she has eighty boobs like the goddess Herrnia and a temper like my grandmother's, you're going to keep a tighter leash on her."

"Wing?"

Wildwing and the others turned to see Nosedive appear. "Dive?"

"What are you doin' here?" the kid asked warily.

"I-uh," he looked to Canard for help who looked less than pleased that the kid was in his presence. "We're just following up on-"

"None of your business kid," Canard snapped.

"I ain't talkin' to you Canard, I'm talking to my brother, if you don't mind," Dive snarled back.

"Tanya," Wildwing spoke a little louder than necessary, "C-can you check on her?"

"Yes," Tanya shot Canard a withering look, marching towards the bathroom.

"Who? Mallory? She's in her room," Nosedive sat on the couch nonchalantly, not realizing the problem with the situation.

He was interrupted by a yell from Tanya. "CANARD!"

The tan duck sprinted towards the female voice and stopped dead at an open bedroom door, with the other two behind him. The red-head, Mallory, was laying on the floor, her face ashen. By her hand was an open bottle of prescription drugs.

"Oh shit, is she-?"

Tanya pressed her fingers on the female's throat. "I feel a pulse, barely...did she have an episode Grin?"

"I handed her ice cubes, that was it, she acted a little strange with that so I removed them as quickly as possible."

"Episode? What the hell is going on?" Nosedive stood horrified at the sight of Mallory passed out. "Is she okay?"

"Wildwing, get rid of him before I punt him out the damn door," Canard snarled.

Wildwing turned around, "Dive, go sit in the living room."

"No, I want to know what's going on."

Canard swung around, his fist snapping Dive's head back, the kid fell onto the floor. Wing glared at Canard.

"Do you mind?"

"Both of you shut up," Tanya growled. "She's waking up."

Mallory sat up slowly, despite Tanya trying to keep her down. Her mouth opened, "where is Anaheim California?"

"What?" Canard's anger was momentarily forgotten. "What's an Anaheim?"

"It's a place," Mallory replied annoyed. "Where is it?"

Still on the floor, behind the adults, Nosedive was fixated on Mallory.

"I've never heard of it," Canard's tone returned to brusque. "How many did you take?

Mallory glanced down at the bottle, "none, I was about to take my medication when I passed out."

"You didn't try to overdose?"

"No." She sounded like the idea offended her.

Canard left the doorway, muttering to himself, "that's all I need, her killing herself...frigg'n crazy bird."

…...

Nosedive had disappeared by the time Wildwing turned to him. He found him sitting out in the communal stairwell, just outside of Grin's front door.

He sat down, noting the puffy bruising around the kid's eye. Sighing, he said, "let me see..." He tried to turn Dive's head his way and only succeeded in being pushed away.

"You don't give a shit Wing, so go prance off with your buddy Canard."

"I do care Dive, I'm just-busy. I can't turn my back on our world for anyone, not even you Dive."

Nosedive snorted, "so I'm just a filler when the _world_ doesn't need you."

"You know that isn't true."

"Isn't it?" Dive snapped. "Go away Wildwing."

"Dive-" Wing tried to touch his brother's shoulder.

"Go Away!" Dive shoved him back, away from him. "Leave me alone Wildwing."

Wing didn't like the formality Dive was addressing him at, since when did he refer to Wing as Wildwing?

"I'm sorry," he whispered before disappearing down the stairs after Canard.

…...

"I just want to kill him," Nosedive angrily swept a platter off Grin's counter, it hit the floor with a clang, jolting Mallory. She watched him, her hazel eyes round.

"Who?" She finally asked.

"Frick'n _Private Wildwing Flashblade_..." He turned to face her. "If you got siblings, they're probably a heck of a lot better than that two-faced son-of-a-"

She remained silent for several seconds. Then...

"My brothers don't talk to me."

He calmed down considerably, studying her.

"They refuse to speak or interact with me at all...I'm a freak." She slowly sat in a chair near him.

"Y-you're a what?"

She glanced at him, "a freak."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am...you don't even know me." She looked away, "I'm a Paranoid Schizophrenic."

"I know."

She glanced at him.

He tentatively sat next to her. "I knew when you spoke of a place called A-na-heim."

"It's real," she whispered, missing his glance her way.

"How long-have you been like this?"

She played with her hands, edgy, "since I was ten. This is the first time I've lived outside of a mental institution."

"Must be a lot for you to-" He stopped.

"-grasp?" She finished slightly amused. "Yes, it is."

…...

**Later**

"You didn't need to hit him," Wildwing for once, was angry.

"I did what I needed to do in a situation like that, the girl was borderline dead, what would you have done to an insolent seventeen-year-old?" Canard shot back.

"I wouldn't have hit him."

"You are so frickin annoying Wing, stop being such a pacifist...where are you going?"

"Out," Wing said shortly, slamming the door behind him.


	6. Illegal Tribulations

**Grin's Apartment**

The large duck refused to let Mallory out of his sight after the bedroom incident. A shadow fell over her as she sat staring at a book, without reading its pages. She glanced up to see Nosedive who tossed her a coat, one of his coats.

"Come on."

She curled her fingers around it. "Where are we going?"

"Out."

"I'm not allowed out,"

"Says who?" He said with a grin.

"Says the government…they said I'm to stay inside-"

Dive looked around, "I don't see any government officials, do you?"

She lowered her gaze, "no."

"Then let's go." He held his hand out to her.

After a moment she took it.

…

Grin glanced from the note to outside where two figures were skating on a large iced over pond. One was graceful, the other clumsy and unsure.

"There is more than what meets the eye," he murmured to himself.

…..

"It's like walking, almost…" Dive explained as he skated to a stop in front of Mallory whose expression was one of almost terror.

"I've never skated…before," she muttered.

"Never? Wow…I would have thought every duck on Puckworld would know that."

She blushed, he noticed.

"It's not a bad thing," he said quickly, "come." He held out his hand.

She hesitated.

"Do you trust me?"

A second later, she nodded. "Yes."

…

Skating to Mallory was like the vibrant colors she often got caught being mesmerized by in her head. At first she didn't like it, but then it grew on her with each stroke her skate put on the ice. Within the hour she was skating slowly, but on her own.

"You're doing it," Dive came to a slow stop next to her, grinning.

She glanced down at the ice and then back at him. "I am."

…..

**Later**

Grin had a strict bedtime, one he enforced to Mallory but not necessarily to Dive. It was after 11 nm (Night Median) Mallory lay, waiting for her drugs to kick in. A light noise came from the front room.

Curious, She got up and left her room. Dive was sprawled on the couch, sleepily watching a late night show.

He half turned to see her, "hey kid…"

Somehow, it didn't bother her that he was three years younger than her and calling her kid. "Hello," she responded softly.

"Wanna sit?" He pushed his pack off the couch and moved a blanket. Hesitatingly, she came forward and sat next to him.

At some point, she fell asleep, her drugs taking over her nervous system and relaxing her into a fit-less, and vision free sleep.

…

Someone cleared their throat loudly; groggily Mallory opened her eyes and focused on Grin, standing in front of her with his arms folded.

Then she realized she was leaning on someone, turning she saw Dive's face less than an inch away from hers. She sprung off the couch, away from him; the feeling of dirtiness clinging to her skin like it did every time she touched someone.

Grin nudged Dive's foot to wake him up, which he did with a groan. "What were you doing?"

"What?" Dive glanced Grin in confusion.

"Tanya is supposed to be here this morning…thank Drake I found you two before she did."

"Relax Grin, we didn't do any-Tell him Mal."

Mallory avoided the four pairs of eyes on her, blushing. "We didn't do anything," she parroted in a barely audible whisper.

Grin put a hand on her shoulder and guided her to the kitchen, making her sit. "Nosedive, she's a patient of the mental institution…you'd do well by remembering that."

An expression passed on the kid's face that Mallory couldn't read. "She's sitting in the room Grin," he finally replied. "And I don't care if she's from outer space…so-" the kid stood, "stop talking about her like she's not here."

Grin stared long and hard at Dive, not speaking, until he turned away to wash dishes. A loud crash made Mallory jump. Grin had dropped a plate in the sink. "I'm not standing for what happened last night…with you two. One of you has to go and its not going to be her. I made a promise to Tanya."

The room was silent for a few seconds, then Dive said, "fine."

Mallory watched dejectedly as he grabbed his duffel bag and left. Grin followed him out.

…..

"Dive."

He kept walking.

"Dive…"

_Don't answer._

"Nosedive Flashblade!"

He swung around, "what!"

Grin caught up to him, his expression blank. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what Grin? Nothing happened."

Grin shook his head, "why did you fall for her, you haven't even known her two days."

"What the hell are you-?"

"You like her…and she likes you. If PSF hears about this-If Canard finds out…he'll skin you alive."

Dive stood rooted, "I-don't-that's absurd."

"Is it?" Grin pressed, "I watched you two skate yesterday. There is more than acquaintance going on here."

"F*** you Grin," Dive stomped off.

Grin let him go, slowly breathing in and slowly breathing out.

…..

Tanya was counting. Just as she mentally reached two hundred and eighty-three seconds, Mallory finally blinked.

"Do you know where Nosedive lives?" She asked.

Tanya glanced at her from the chart she was reading. "No, I don't. He lives anywhere and everywhere he can find."

"What does that mean?"

Tanya didn't answer; instead she started her physical exam of the female.

"When did he and Private Flashblade stop being brothers?"

That made Tanya pause. "What?"

Mallory glanced at her, "they are blood-related…when did they stop acting as though-"

"I know what you asked, why are you so interested in him? I told Grin to get rid of him while you're here. You don't need some un-balanced, troubled teenage kid in here, disrupting the peace."

"Un-balanced," Mallory echoed. "I'm un-balanced."

She suddenly sprung off the bed, plastered herself in the corner before Tanya even knew what had occurred.

"Wind…I don't like it. Cold like the ice outside that coats the ground all year round….it grips the metal alloy of the Saurian battleships as they bank high in the mountains of Rosetta-Bing-"

"Whoa, whoa…hold on, what are you saying? The Saurians are in the mountains?" Tanya took a step forward.

Mallory stopped talking and stared at Tanya, not blinking again. Sighing, Tanya turned and shut the door; almost immediately, Mallory relaxed.

"They are mobilizing…" the female responded. "I want to see Dive."

"No," Tanya snapped flatly.

"I want to see Dive, now."

Tanya was finding her patience waning thin. "Mallory, he is a troubled individual who is nothing really but a loser. You are better off without him."

Mallory straightened abruptly, striding out of the room before Tanya could stop her. She came to a stop by Canard's side; who was sitting at Grin's counter with Wildwing and none other than Duke L'orange.

"Hey sweetheart, miss me?"

She shot the grey duck a glare.

"I want to see Dive."

Silence. Grin froze, his hand gripping his cup mid-way to his mouth. Tanya caught up to her and crossed her arms, sighing loudly through her nose.

"Dive? Whose Dive?" Duke asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Canard sneered. To Mallory he said, "Why?"

"I don't need to give you a reason…"

"-like hell you don't." Canard stood, "listen little girl and listen carefully. Remember when we sprung you from the nut house? You said something about your freedom…Well news flash, while you're in my custody, you don't have freedom. So you're going to sit here in this apartment and behave."

Canard's glass shattered on its own, spreading a slow trickling river of red alcohol along Grin's counter.

Canard never took his eyes off her face. "You don't scare me."

"That's because I'm not trying," she replied, her voice strangely calm and but sinister.

"I have no problem sending you back. Do you want that? To return to the loony bin where you rightfully belong?"

"Canard," Wildwing cut in, "that's enough…Leave her alone. If she wants to see Dive, I'll find him. It's not difficult-"

"Shut it Wing! You're not helping," Canard snarled.

"Will you?" She forgot about Canard as her eyes latched onto Wing's.

Wildwing didn't think he had ever seen his best friend so livid, in such a rage, Canard turned to him, slowly and coldly.

Duke was watching the whole proceeding like it was an S'cion soap opera, his mouth hanging open. He didn't even notice as Grin took back his wallet the thief had snatched and left in plain view.

"I'll try," Wing eventually said.

Mallory's face brightened considerably.


	7. Tinfoil and Aliens

"Don't talk to me."

Wildwing sighed, "Canard, why do you hate him so much?"

Canard slammed the driver door shut on the G.I vehicle, facing his friend. "Because every important event, he ends up smack-dab in the middle of it."

"That's not true-"

"Isn't it?" Canard challenged. "I had the LSAT's, who picked a fight with Ecovain and was beaten within an inch of his life? Your brother, he wound up at our apartment, barely conscious."

Wildwing tried to dispute it even though he knew it was true. "Ca-"

"Your promotion from Corporeal to Private, who had a hissy fit when you didn't show up at their hockey game?"

"Okay, okay I get it," Wildwing snapped. "In his defense, I had promised him I'd be there and I wasn't...I shouldn't have lied to him."

"He was fifteen at the time, he was old enough to deal." Canard disappeared into the car, leaving Wing to stand outside of it, his arms resting on the hood.

"You getting in or what?" His friend's voice was muffled.

Sighing, Wildwing got in the car. Without a reason, he glanced skyward and found himself staring at Mallory, her red-hair glistening in the sunlight. Her eyes were on him, after she saw he was watching her, she turned away from the window.

….

**Bay-Puck Street, Iceling Suburbs**

Nosedive didn't give himself enough time to steel for a reaction as he let himself in through the front door of his mother's house. _Roll with it_.

His third year in unemployment, none other than Ecovain TalonTale was waiting for him in his big lazy chair that Nosedive had come to hate.

The big brown duck opened his eyes, his one hand half cupped around a bottle of Murdoo, one of the strongest alcohols you could buy without killing yourself. Seeing Nosedive, he sneered. "W'here hav- 'ou been?"

"None of your business."

For being drunk, Ecovain could sure move fast and accurately. His hand swept out and wiped all sensation off Dive's face, sending him off-kilt into the wall.

"I told you to get out a month ago!"

"This isn't your house!" Dive snarled back. "It's ma's."

"Well, she ain't here you lazy piece of trash!" Ecovain closed his hand around the kid's arm, hauling him up.

Knowing it was no use, Nosedive fought against the duck's grip on his arm; in his rage, he found he didn't care. Finally he kicked Ecovain in the groin and was released as the duck bellowed in pain.

"Hope you can recover your family jewels," Nosedive spat on the duck and turned to leave the room. He barely took one step when Ecovain knocked his feet out from under him and flattened him on the floor.

Under the weight, the kid could barely breathe. "Get off me!"

"You will learn to respect me you little punk, you hear me!" Ecovain grabbed him by the hair and slammed his head into the floor. "Answer me!"

"Fine…okay," Dive gasped, hoping it was enough of an answer to get the duck off him and to leave him alone. It was…kind of.

Ecovain rolled to his feet with difficultly because of his weight and for a good measure, kicked the kid in the ribs. For the longest time, Nosedive didn't move. Instead he laid in a fetal ball, waiting for his ribs and head to stop hurting.

Then he slowly got to his feet, swiping the back of his hand across his beak, his hand came away with a stain of red. Gingerly he bent to grab his duffel bag and went into his room, shutting the door, locking it.

…..

**Across the city**

Mallory ignored Duke as he sat next to her. She wished he would leave her alone; he made her skin crawl, more than the average duck.

"Hey Sw-Mallory," he caught himself.

She didn't answer, instead kept her eyes on the window in front of her.

"I'm uh-" He coughed awkwardly, "-I apologize if I…offended you by being persistent."

She blinked.

"-Though what can you expect from a pathological womanizer," he joked; his smile quickly disappeared when he saw she wasn't sharing his sentiment. "Anyway, sorry…"

"Why?" She glanced at him.

"I don't know. I suppose you and I are better off friends than interests, sweetheart. Besides, we're from the same nut facility. –Might as well be friendly with each other."

She thought about it for a moment, "okay."

He had been avoiding her gaze, at her agreement, he met eyes with her; "you mean it?"

She nodded, "as long as you meant it."

He bobbed his head, "yeah…I may be a klepto but I don't lie. Thanks."

"Sure."

…..

**Puckworld Special Forces**

"Any more news on her?"

"No sir," Canard answered, his stance rigid as he stared straight ahead.

Commander Flyghtwyng breathed in loudly. "You have something to add though."

"Sir, I've found out that Private Flashblade's younger sibling has had contact with her Sir. He even led her to disobey orders to remain inside and took her outside."

Flyghtwyng whorled around, "who?"

"Flashblade's brother, Sir."

"How did he even get contact with her Captain?"

"I didn't know that Hardwing had contact with him, Hardwing lets him live at his residence occasionally."

Flyghtwyng kicked his desk out of rage. "No one was supposed to know about her outside of the military. Hardwing is an exception." His voice shook as he replied calmly.

"I know Sir, if I had known the civilian would be there, I wouldn't have let her go."

"It's not you."

Canard remained silent.

"Where is the civilian now?"

Canard shrugged, "We don't know. Hardwing kicked him out after second thoughts. I suppose Nosedive would return home."

"Good." Flyghtwyng picked up the receiver to his desk communicator. "Lieutenant Tierr, I want you to look up Nosedive Flashblade's address. This is a code orange…yes, you know what to do." He hung up.

Behind him, Canard's rigid stance slackened a bit. "Code Orange? Sir?"

"When I said no one outside of the military was to know about her, I meant it. Flashblade's brother knows and now he must be dealt with."

"Salazar," Canard abandoned all formalities. "He's a kid, seventeen…Code orange means shoot to k-"

"I know what it means, and that's the price you have to pay to knowing too much. Now you're dismissed."

…...

"Wing!"

The white duck turned to see Canard catch up with him.

"Listen to me, you need to get your ass out there and find Dive now."

"Why?"

The tan duck lowered his eyes, "you don't need to know why, but there's a special ops team loading up right now to shoot him for knowing about Mallory."

"What?"

"He's a civilian, you need to go now."

"How do you know this?"

"It's not important damnit, go!" Canard shoved him. Wildwing stumbled backwards and then headed for the exit.

….

**Bay-Puck Street, Iceling Suburbs**

After a shower, Dive crept by Ecovain who was passed out in his chair again and closed his door behind him. Feeling tired after his adrenaline rush while fighting with Ecovain, he didn't bother with the lights and sank down onto his bed.

It had taken him hours to find clean sheets and a blanket since every time he had his absence from the house, Ecovain took it upon himself to urinate and dump beer on his bed. The mattress still stank but at least he wasn't sleeping in filth.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard something thump outside. His eyes opening, he stayed still, listening.

Above him, he saw a shadow loom over the window and a hand push the window up. Slowly, he reached under his pillow and pulled out an old .87 Glyd. He released the safety and waited.

The figure slipped into his room cat-like and waited a beat, their lithe form silhouetted by the moon.

Dive raised the Glyd, his finger tightening on the trigger.

"Dive."

He relaxed his finger. "Mallory?"

"You need to come now…"

He sat up, "why? How did you get out of Grin's?"

She half shook her head, "it's warm and red…mama said not to touch it-"

He stood up and not caring, embraced her. She went stiff before melting into him.

"I saw them…dark and carrying sticks of fire…" She continued disjointedly.

He had a sudden jolting thought. _She hasn't taken her medication. _Even though he hadn't known her long and knew even less about her medical history, he understood enough to know she was very dangerous at that moment.

"It's okay-" Wheels whistled to a stop out front. If it hadn't been utterly quiet, Dive would have missed them all together. He let go of her except for her hands and turned, listening. "Let's go."

Just as he grabbed his bag and threw a jacket on, he heard the front door buckle and collapse inward with a boom. Ecovain was yelling, followed by a scuffle.

Dive heard boots pounding towards his room, "shit." He grabbed Mallory's hand and towed her to the window. "Go." He tossed his bag out the window and guided her through.

He was just following her when his door seemed to explode and a strong hand grasped his ankle yanking him back.

He kicked at the duck and tried to haul himself through the window, but the duck was stronger, jerking him back through the window. Dive landed hard on the floor, his head cracking across his bedpost.

His vision darkened and he couldn't form a proper command for his brain to obey. Something flew across the room and slapped into the duck, surprising him. He hit it away, only to be whacked by another object.

"Get up!" Mallory was yelling at him.

Dive got to his feet and dove out the window. Grabbing his bag, he and Mallory took off into the snowcapped woods.

...

"_Sir."_

Flyghtwyng pressed the button to open the communication waves. "Yes, was it a success?"

_"Not exactly…Sir. We were ambushed by-someone."_

"Ambushed? By who?"

_"We don't know Sir. Fliidell has a concussion Sir, we walked into see objects zooming around the room Sir, they were hitting him."_

Flyghtwyng dropped the communicator, his gaze frozen on a file sitting on his desk. The file name: Mallory McMallard.

….

"I need to get you home."

"I don't have a home," Mallory seemed for the most part to have calmed down, her personality that Nosedive was used to was back except for weird comments she occasionally made.

"Grin's house, I need to get you there."

She shook her head. "No."

He halted, watching her. "Mal-"

"You are bleeding," she interrupted, her hand landing on his cheek.

He took a breath, "why did you come?"

Her eyes twitched as she mulled his question. "Because I did."

"That's not an answer."

It's my answer," she snapped. "I wanted to…" she continued. "Life is not so-dark when you are with me. To you, I'm not a schizophrenic patient."

He felt his stomach jolt. It was true; he didn't dwell on her mental condition.

"I've never felt this way….and I don't like it," she snapped again. Her face softened. "But you, I like you."

"I'm a faze Mallory…" He finally said. "Give yourself a few weeks, you'll lose the feeling." He started walking.

He heard the snow crunch behind him and then a hand grabbed his coat, throwing him into the nearest tree.

"I am sick and tired of people telling me what I do, what I feel is wrong…damn it, I-I-" She crushed her beak against his.

Losing his train of thought, Dive vaguely thought, _what should I do? _He quickly came to an answer. _Nothing._

He pulled her closer, knowing it was stupid of him, but he didn't care. She pulled back but didn't let go of him.

"I'm hungry."

He cracked a smile. "I can fix that."

….

Being borderline homeless, Dive had become a master shoplifter by the time he was nine. He was quick, innocent looking for the most part and nonchalant. He was in and out of the convenient store before anyone knew he had been there.

He handed Mallory a gridell sandwich, who took it.

"You stole this?"

He paused in the middle of opening a bottled drink. "Yeah, I did."

She turned the food in her hands before unwrapping it. "It's wrong but-necessary."

He watched her for a second and then took a drink. "So, are you going to go back to Grin's?"

She surveyed him. "No."

He took a bite from his own sandwich, "didn't think so."

…

**Later**

Nosedive laid thinking the night over. Beside him, Mallory was asleep, wrapped within a blanket he constantly had in his bag.

His limbs felt heavy and a few times he nodded off, only to jerk awake. About the third time he woke up, he randomly thought that there had to be ducks after her. She was G.I property as Canard had said back in Grin's apartment. And her being with him and not Grin, there was no doubt that Tanya and the rest of them were out of their minds, looking for her.

Hopefully, there wouldn't be severe ramifications against him for having her in his custody. Then again, he never did receive a straight answer about who the ducks were that tried to subdue him at his mother's house.

"Mallory?"

She shifted.

"Who were those ducks? The ones who broke into my house?"

Her head turned towards his face, observing him. "The government…my head told me the government."


	8. Saurians? Nah

**Later**

Nosedive woke up to his neck bent, stretching he winced at the ache. Mallory was still asleep, her head half buried in the blanket. He flexed his mouth, feeling the ice that had encased his beak. Carefully so not to disturb her, he reached up and wiped off the frost.

A hand gripped his; looking down he saw she was awake. "Are you cold?" She asked, her voice faint.

"No."

She shut her eyes and pushed her head under the blanket again. "Where are we?"

He almost didn't hear her as her voice was muffled. "A construction site, the city abandoned the project years ago. I made this area when I was thirteen."

She reappeared and looked around, they were in a long solid grey tube, and the one end had been barricaded by thick wood. The other end, the end they had entered through was covered by a thick comforter, ragged and dirty.

"It's not much-"

"I like it," she interrupted.

He half smiled, "thanks." He started to say more when the ground shook. Nosedive sat up straighter, his hand landing on Mallory's shoulder. "What the hell?"

Mallory glanced up to the tube's ceiling and saw a round opening. The "abandoned building" was coming to life or rather morphing into a ship.

_The air was rank with the stench of death. The sky blood-red and the screams were horrifying. Ducks were dying left and right, their eyes open and glazed as they sprawled in the mud._

She kicked backwards away from the opening, into Nosedive.

"Mallory-?"

"They're coming…" She whimpered.

"Who?"

A sudden deafening blare tore through the air, making the two clap hands over their ears. The ground shook again and something crashed outside their tube, making the huge structure rock. Just as Nosedive got his bearings, the ground shook again and dirt and ice fell through the opening above. He looked up in time to see a huge red-clawed foot pass over the tube, before another earthquake shook the tube again.

He didn't need to be a military duck to know that it was a Saurian o-390 stomping over them. "Holy shit-" he exclaimed.

The air became deafeningly quiet outside; save for Mallory's quiet crying.

He pulled her close and shushed her. "It's okay…I think they're gone-"

The tube disintegrated as the metal claw crushed it. Mallory screamed. Nosedive rolled out of the tube, taking her with him. "Run!"

He gripped her hand and took off to the exit. A blinding light landed on them, tracking their movements. Behind them, the ship stretched its metal legs and chased them.

More worried about Mallory than himself, Nosedive tripped over a forgotten rod and fell hard; in his fall, Mallory's hand had slipped from his grasp.

Turning he saw her standing, frozen, staring at the huge machine as it barreled down on them. "Mallory!"

She didn't respond.

_A Saurian Hunter o-390 rose almost lazily into the sky. Its skeletal face sharp and sleek. _

_The ship turned and headed towards her, its searchlight getting brighter and brighter as it closed in on her. She didn't move, instead she stood her ground, watching it. _

_It was so close, hovering above her. She closed her eyes, feeling the wind whip across her face as the snow, ice and dust whipped her cheeks. She opened her eyes-_

A large explosion lit up the sky, making Nosedive throw a hand over his eyes; he glanced up and saw the main core under the ship's belly had combusted, flailing noxious core power all around. One splatter hit the rod he had tripped on, causing it to melt like acid. He stumbled to his feet, grabbing Mallory's hand.

"We need to go!" He didn't know why he was yelling. She still didn't respond, her head was still frozen skyward, her eyes blank. "Mallory!"

She collapsed on him; he caught her before she hit the ground.

…..

**Puckworld Special Forces: 0300hours-Gate ****œ 3**

"Captain."

Canard turned and strode over to a techie who was watching the cameras and monitoring Gate œ 3. "What is it?"

"There's a civilian Sir, outside the gate…says he knows you Sir. He has a girl with him."

Canard punched a button on the control pad and brought up the screen shot of the gate. Sure enough, Nosedive Flashblade was standing outside the enforced bars, carrying a red-head. "Let him in." He took off out of the room.

….

"What happened to her?" He lost no time demanding.

The kid looked worse for wear, he swallowed before speaking. "I didn't do anything to her-"

"That's not an answer," Canard snapped. "Do you know, we've had Special Ops out all damn night, looking for her? She hasn't been medicated in a day and a half, and she's out strutting with you!"

"Shut up Canard!" Nosedive snarled back, making other soldiers tense and bristle. "I've almost been killed twice within the last twenty-four hours... We both just had a Saurian o-390 come to life out of a shithole construction site, while you commandos were playing mary-sue here!"

"Saurian o-390, what the hell are you babbling about Flashblade?"

"The botched construction job on Phozen Boulevard," the kid explained purposely talking as if Canard was slow and stupid. "The frickin building that isn't finished yet, came. To. Life. It's a Saurian Hunter o-3-9-0."

"-The hell you been smokin' kid?" a soldier laughed. "You listening to this freak Canard? He's trippin' or something."

"Quiet." Canard snapped in their direction, earning instant silence. He looked back at Nosedive. "Follow me."

….

Nosedive had only ever met Tanya Vanderflock a few times, and this time she was livid. "You-you complete moronic, pea-brained son-of-a-!"

Canard blocked her from him. "Take care of her." He snapped his fingers at the kid to bring Mallory forward onto a table. Tanya followed him with her eyes, seething.

"And give him a urine test."

"What?" Nosedive protested. "I'm not high Canard."

The tan duck pinned him against the wall, face-first. He heard the click of the safety being released and the duck's gun press into his neck. "We'll see about that, now won't we? If you're negative, you have nothing to worry about…loser."

Nosedive remained where he was even after Canard let him go. Tanya all-of-about threw the test cup at him. "Move it," she snapped.

…..

When he was done, he slapped the cup onto Tanya's desk and watched concerned as the duck assessed Mallory.

"Is she going to-?"

"Shut up," Tanya interrupted. Nosedive fell silent. "She's anemic, her white blood cells are low."

"What does that mean?" Canard beat Nosedive to the question.

"It means she depraved of oxygen…" Tanya shot Nosedive a nasty look. "What happened?"

Nosedive shrugged, "She-"

"Now is not the time to be inconsistent," Canard growled. "This isn't a shrugging matter you f***ing moron."

Nosedive glowered at the male duck and then spoke again, "she blew up the Saurian ship."

"What?" The two adults asked in unison.

"She blew it up, the control core, it just exploded. She was fixated on it when it happened."

Canard rolled his eyes, "test the urine."

Tanya glanced at him, "I think she's more impor-"

"I said test the urine, it'll take five minutes tops Tanya, NOW."

She stomped away, grumbling.

She came back a few minutes later, "negative."

Canard didn't look happy at the results. His steel gaze landed on the skinny kid beside him. "You…come with me."

"Why? Where are we going?"

"To see the Saurian o-390."


	9. Danger in the outfield

"Canard, nothing's gonna be there," Nosedive trudged behind him. "We didn't stay to see which way it went."

The tan duck spun around. "If she destroyed the main core, it's not going to go far." He turned, his stride lengthening. "Moron."

Nosedive pretended he didn't hear the insult. He had a bad feeling about returning to the abandoned construction site. Canard kicked a rusted gate open, drawing his weapon and cautiously inched in. Nosedive started to follow, only to have Canard grab him by his shirt front, and shove him back, away from the gate.

"Wait here," the duck ordered.

Nosedive glared at him but did as he was asked, leaning against the chain-linked fence.

…..

Inside the compound, Canard kept his senses sharp, as he took in everything. He paused long enough to screw a laser and flashlight to the barrel of his gun, flicking it on. The ray of light fell on various un-kept walls that had long since caved in.

"Shithole…" Canard muttered.

He continued on, coming to a stop, staring at a long grey colored tube; part of it had been demolished.

He lowered himself onto his haunches, using the barrel of his gun to lift the thin blanket that covered the entrance. Inside, there were colorful designs drawn on the ceiling and a nest of blankets so thick, someone could have been sleeping in there and Canard wouldn't have known.

_Dive_, he thought. Guilt and shame unexpectedly hit him hard. He knew without a doubt this was one of the kid's haunts.

He stood up and saw a lone figure standing on the other side of the building. "Dive, I told you to stay out," his annoyance quickly returned.

He stomped over, his anger flaring at the no answer.

"Hey," he roughly swung the figure around. "Dive, I'm talking to-" He stopped, realizing the scruffy and frankly soiled duck in front of him wasn't the kid. The stranger's eyes glowed white from some disease in the glow of his flashlight. "Sorry, my mistake."

Canard backed away, suddenly feeling very uneasy. A loud screech ripped through the air and a towering metal something jerked up from its hiding spot just behind the building.

Sweet Ducaine-" Canard dove out of the way as a large clawed foot opened up and slapped into the ground where he had been seconds before.

"Canard?" Nosedive was in the compound. "What's-?" He froze. "Holy Sh-"

"Let's go NOW!" Canard grabbed his young charge by the neck and ran back to the gate they had come through.

They made it, Canard threw Nosedive down on the ground, himself, flattened against the fence.

"What the hell is going on!" Nosedive yelled.

"Shut it!" Canard snarled by accident. He hadn't meant to sound so fierce. He checked to see his safety was off and then took a breath; _here goes nothing._

He turned to face the gate door, swinging loosely and started to take a step. Then something made a thud on the other side of the fence.

"What was that?" the kid asked behind him.

Canard rolled his eyes, like he had x-ray vision. "Nosedive- I'm warning you-"

Something exploded, sending the two spinning off across the street from the impact. Nosedive saw the wall coming and thought how impossible it was that he would hit it. A second later, he regretted his naivety as he slammed into the hennonite exterior, feeling his arm bone crack.

Canard had skated across the frozen street, earning what the Puckworldians called ice rash, an injury only caused by rough ice. He struggled to his feet; feeling lost as he realized his gun was missing.

"Shit," he swore. "Kid, hey kid…Dive!"

Nosedive crawled to a kneeling position, dazed. "What?" He slurred.

Canard dropped next to him. "Are you okay?"

Nosedive didn't have time to answer as a huge blinding searchlight flickered on high above their heads, its rays jumping on the ground, no doubt looking for them.

Ignoring his pain, Canard hauled Nosedive to his feet. "Keep next to me."

Nosedive nodded, wincing.

….

Wildwing looked outside the infirmary window to see the sky lit up with hundreds of ship lights. A chill ran down his spine.

"They're coming," Mallory whispered. "-And with them; will be the wraith unlike Puckworld has ever seen…they will come."

He glanced down at her as she laid motionless on the bed. "Mallory…"

"A darkness will come, and soon the inhabitants of this world will be without hope and love. Despair will be abundant," she continued.

He sat next to her, taking her hand carefully; wary this time after the last time he tried to touch her. This time, she remained quiet.

"Help us," he murmured.

She focused on him, her pupils large and glassy.

"Okay."

….

Canard waved off a medic trying to assess his injuries. "I want a detailed account on what the

f-"

"Captain," the medic warned, "you are very stressed right now…now's not the time to be saying words that will elevate that stress."

"Whatever," Canard stopped behind a techie at a computer, who was monitoring the airways. "What you got?"

"Nothing-" the young duck began, an alarm went off and flashing lights on the control panel started blinking erratically.

"What is it?"

"It's-I'm picking up-holy shit…"

"What?" Canard snapped, impatient now.

"Two-hundred and ninety-four Saurian ships, Sir…seventy-three Saurian Hunter o-390, one-hundred and forty-six Saurian Maud 54's, seventy-three Saurian M-321-o's and one monitor…Sir."

Canard leaned in to see for himself. It was true; two-hundred and ninety-four Saurian ships were trespassing into the Puckworld Airways as they spoke.

"Drake Ducaine-help us…" He breathed.


	10. Punishment

Nosedive skirted around the nighttime nurse, sticking to the shadows. He poked his head into room 309 and then stepped in, shutting the door.

Quietly, he tiptoed over to Mallory's bed where she was sleeping, dwarfed in a thick knitted sweater and a large blanket. He eased himself down next to her, taking a chance by putting one arm around her and fell asleep.

…..

"Excuse me…"

Nosedive opened his eyes blearily, getting a headache as he tried to focus on who was talking to him.

A fat old nurse had her hands on her hips. "-And just what do _you_ think _you_ are doing?"

"Uh," he groaned, rubbing his head. "Sorry, I'll just leave…"

"Dive?" Mallory woke up, her hand closing around his.

"Puh," the nurse scoffed. "I don't think so…Security!"

Mallory sat up, a look of terror on her face. "Dive…" she said again.

"Don't worry, I'm used to it," Nosedive sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, resolving to wait.

Two muscled ducks appeared, their hands on their belts, real important like. Nosedive resisted the urge to shake his head. Cops, security, they were all the same.

"This one trespassed, I want him out…"

"Get up," one ordered sternly. "Hands on your head."

"No," Mallory choked out, "He didn't do anything wrong."

"She's-" the nurse waved a dismissal at the female. "-a schizo Officer."

"I see," the other duck snorted, "one of those nuts who drools and talks to themselves. See any aliens lately, you delusional little slut?"

Nosedive felt his anger boil over, loosing his self control; he swung at the duck, catching him off-guard. He barely registered the pain in his hand as he cracked the offensive drake in the eye.

Within seconds, he was flattened roughly to the floor, much like Ecovain did to him the night before.

One of the duck's metal toed boots smashed into his ribs, leaving him to gag. Feeling light headed, Nosedive vaguely heard the nurse sweet talking Mallory who was saying 'no' over and over. Nosedive was dragged upright and handcuffed.

"You're gonna pay for that, you f***ing piece of Sh**," the one he had hit, growled.

Nosedive spat at him, successfully hitting the duck in the other eye.

….

"Private, you shouldn't be down here, you need to go back upstairs."

Wildwing ignored the duck, continuing down the dank hallway, passing a row of cells. He came to the last one, a decrepit filthy cell. In it was a duck, laying still.

"Open the door," he snapped.

"We're under strict ord-"

"I don't give a damn, open the door."

The duck glared at him, but nonetheless opened the cell. Wildwing pushed past and knelt next to his brother.

"Dive, Dive…Nosedive…Answer me."

He turned the kid over, receiving a shock. It looked as if the kid had been bludgeoned with a pipe. His notion was only proven correct when he saw a half submerged pipe laying several feet away. He hadn't realized the cell was covered in water. He stood, fury making him shake. "Who did this?"

"The idiot attacked one of our security."

"I didn't ask what _he_ did. I asked _who_ did it."

"Fludge."

A commotion made the two pause. Canard appeared, "where is he?" He stopped dead at the sight of the kid unconscious. "What the hell-?"

"Fludge, I'm going to kill him," Wildwing seethed.

"Fludge did this?" Canard leaned over the kid. "Hey, hey kid…" He lightly shook his shoulder, earning a pained groan from Nosedive.

Dazed, he weakly pushed himself up, his hands sliding several times through the brackish water. Canard and Wildwing carefully pulled him to his feet.

"What happened?" Canard asked, after sitting him down on a bench.

Nosedive gave a half shrug, his mouth opened stiffly; making Wildwing fear his jaw was broke. "They insulted her."

"Her? Who?" Canard asked urgently.

Nosedive responded softly; Canard and Wildwing leaned in to hear.

"What?"

"_Mallory_." Nosedive said louder, annoyance in his voice at having to repeat himself for a second time.

"Oh…"

"Well…I saw Fludge…" Canard murmured reluctantly.

"If you're going to charge me, charge me," Nosedive snarled.

Canard arched an eyebrow. "I'm not going to charge you and neither is anyone else. Off the record kid, good shot. I'm just-sorry you had to experience this." He gestured to Nosedive's bruised face.

Wildwing pulled him to his feet, "come on, you're bedding with me tonight."

…..

Nosedive heard a cry and saw a body with flaming red hair collide with him. His body wracked in pain, but he kept it together as he painfully folded his arms around Mallory.

"I could barely control her, thank drake you came back when you did." Tanya strode forward with her arms crossed. "Drake Ducaine, you're a mess." She eyed Nosedive.

"Tanya," Canard interrupted, "can you do something about it? He's bleeding all over everything." He pulled Mallory away who gazed after Nosedive like a home sick puppy.

Tanya gave a stiff nod. "Come on."

….

His face burning, he meekly stripped for the female doctor. "Is this really necessary?"

"I can let those injuries get infected and then you'll be in a world of hurt."

Nosedive grumbled something unintelligently, yanking his shirt up over his head, wincing from his aching muscles.

"Where? In the tub?" He went to sit in it without waiting for an answer. She cleared her throat loudly.

He turned. "What?"

"Take off your pants."

He stood still, and then undid his belt and kicked his baggy cargo pants off. "You're enjoying this."

A rare smile flickered across her face. "Not at all Mr. Flashblade…Now sit."

…..

He flinched as Tanya rubbed a sponge over his back; he felt the bruises and wished they would go away. Yet they really didn't bother him, if the payment was a battered body then he would take it, if it meant teaching those bastards not to mess with his girl.

Man, he was starting to sound like an idiot. _His girl._ "Are we done?"

"I suppose," Tanya sounded almost disappointed.

"Good," He stood up too fast and got a spin.

"Careful," she warned. "You're still weak."

"Like you give a damn," he grabbed a towel and began drying himself.

She was quiet for a moment. "Actually I do. Why do you think I'm here?"

He didn't answer; instead he pulled sweatpants on and an undershirt. "Can I go?"

She nodded.

….

Mallory stood and raced towards him the second she saw him; she halted a few feet away, staring at him, unsure.

He reached out to her, at which she quickly took his hand closing the distance between them. Canard looked away. "We should go…Mallory get your stuff."

"Is Dive coming?"

He sighed like he knew what was coming. "No, he's staying here."

"I want to be with him."

"Maybe you should-" Nosedive began.

She glanced at him, "you wish me to go?"

"No, I don't-"

"You're right," Canard interrupted. "You can stay…but nothing funky…from either of you. I don't need to be told a month from now you," he stabbed a finger at Mallory. "-Are pregnant."

"Can, do you mind?" Nosedive snapped.

"Not at all kid," the older duck grinned. He thumped Wildwing in the chest. "Watch them." He left.


	11. The Mask of Drake Ducaine

_A cold wind swept newly fallen snow around in a swirl. The foreboding Twin Beaks, snowcapped and towering, held its own against the wind. A distant sound of an avalanche crackled through the howling gale._

_ As the racing snow settled and the wind mysteriously died down; half visible was the mouth of a cave set in between two barren trees. _

_ A lone duck, withered with age, trudged slowly into the cavern with a bundle. Once far enough in, the figure struggled down on their knees, kneeling. _

_ A greying knarled hand reached out and unlocked a chest. This chest was weather beaten, rotted and sunken in. _

_ The figure unwrapped the bundle, showing a twisted shape that glowed gold-like. Surveying its shiny exterior, the duck ran its fingers over it, seemingly thinking. _

_ A sudden noise behind them, made them quickly shut the chest with the object inside, locking it in forever. Everything faded to black._

**Later**

Mallory woke up, her eyes adjusting to the gloom. Nosedive had waited until his brother, Wildwing, had gone to bed before sneaking into bed with her. Every time they shared time, she felt herself fall deeper for him.

Laying still, listening to him breathe beside her, she dredged up enough attention span and gumption to think about the latest pictures in her head. She may hallucinate 22/7 and be paranoid the other 2 hours, but she still had enough cognition to know the landmark well.

Drake Ducaine and the legendary hockey mask that he used to send the invading Saurians to dimensional limbo.

_It's fake though, never been proven…it's a legend._

But yet, she had never been wrong when it came to her pictures in her head. Reaching out, she shook Nosedive, who groaned.

"Dive."

He rubbed his eyes and slowly cracked them open. "Mmm?"

"The Drake Ducaine mask…what do you know of it?"

"The Drake Du-What time is it?" He raised himself up on his elbows to see the alarm clock. 1:45nm (Night Median). "Mal…It's like two in the morning."

"I know, I just…please?" She wrung the sheets a little. "Please," she repeated.

He sighed, "not much…he was basically a crusader. Saved our asses from the Saurians the first time around…supposedly had some magical mask with him."

"It's in Twin Beaks."

He stared at her, "what?"

"The mask, it's in Twin Beaks…"

He shifted closer to her, "what do you mean it's in Twin Beaks?"

…..

"Wing, Wing…Wildwing! Wake up!"

The white duck jerked awake, his adrenaline full-blown pumping through his body. "What's wrong?"

He took in his emaciated brother and the redhead by his side in concern.

"What's wrong?" he repeated.

"The Drake Ducaine mask…it's in a cave in Twin Beaks."

Wing let himself slide back down, his face buried in his pillow. "Dive…it's a legend. It doesn't even exist," he croaked.

"Mallory's seen it."

That got the duck's attention; after all she had accurately predicted the Saurian presence. "You saw it?"

In her trademark la-de-da way, she nodded. "Twin Beaks."

Wildwing drew in a long breath, "go to bed, both of you. I'll put more thought into it when it's not two in the morning."

…

"Twin Beaks, huh? I've been up there a few times…damn near blew off the mountain." Duke took a sip of his drink.

"Was it a near miss because you were hunkered down by other people's belongings?" Tanya asked dryly.

Duke winked at her, "you'd know Doc."

The female rolled her eyes.

"Focus, both of you," Canard snapped.

"So the question is how we are to get there," Grin proposed slowly.

"What?" Tanya interjected. "Why do we need it? Just leave it there."

"And you call me and _her_ nuts," Duke muttered.

Tanya stood up, "Canard, just think for a moment if it was found…Think of all the trouble it would cause. It's not like it can multiple, one duck can wear it, think of the feuds it would cause. Unneeded fights among us at a time when we need to stick together."

Wildwing watched the whole argument quietly, his best friend was oddly unaffected by the female doctor's outburst. Nosedive apparently felt the same way.

"I don't think I've ever seen him not jump into an argument," the kid whispered.

Wildwing silently agreed. Canard was hiding something.

"Tanya sit down before you have a stroke," Canard finally said.

Her feathers ruffled slightly at the order; but she sat. The tan duck crossed the room and picked up his small pack he always had with him. His eyes went to Mallory briefly who had slipped back into her own little world at the moment.

He stood in front of her and gently called, "Mallory."

She glanced at him, having to readjust to her surroundings. Once he was sure she was attentive enough, he asked her to reach into the cloth bag. She did so, her hand freezing under the flap.

"Pull it out."

Tanya was first to realize what was going on before anything visible appeared. "You didn't."

Mallory removed her hand, holding the Drake Ducaine mask. She stared at it without an expression.

"I got it about a week ago," Canard explained.

"I can't believe you…." Tanya sputtered.

"What are you going to do with it?" Grin asked.

Canard shrugged, his eyes flickered to Wildwing's. "I don't know." His eyes traveled to Duke. "And you are not to touch it."

Duke smiled, "whatever."

Mallory glanced at him, "I'll break your hand."

"Ooo, threatening me now? Sweetheart, if I had a nickel for every time a woman threatened me, I'd be rich."

"I'd be willing to bet none of them were willing to carry out their threat," she responded flatly.

Duke's goofy smile faltered a little as he realized how serious she was.

Nosedive shifted as he sat between them. "Okay, break it up," he said a little loudly.

Mallory returned her steady gaze to the mask in her hands. "It's meant for someone else."

The room got quiet, "who?" Tanya asked inspite of herself.

"Wildwing," Mallory answered. "It's meant for Wildwing."

…

_ Mallory felt a surge of thrill as the Mighty Ducks won yet another game. It had been close. The Oilers had almost won after nearly swiping the puck under Wildwing; however like always, the goalie came through and blocked it. _

_ The puck had spun back out on the ice, quickly taken by Duke who passed it to Tanya who shot it to Grin, who set it up for Nosedive to slap it into the opposing team's goal. _

_ In the midst of celebrating, Mallory caught sight of Wildwing shaking hands with the other team captain. The mask that the humans in the stands had no idea was something other than a regular hockey mask, on his face. _

….

"I see these pictures of another life," she suddenly said.

Everyone looked at her.

"We play that game…the stick game with that round black thing."

"Hockey?" Duke asked.

"Yes, we're together on another world…in this An-a-heim Cal-i-for-nia. You aren't there though." She pointed to Canard. "You're never there."

"What else is there?" Canard prodded.

"There are aliens…they are not like us. They have flat faces, but they like hoc-key. It is a large indoor ice house…." She fell silent.

"Is she on her meds?" Canard whispered as loudly as he dared without Mallory hearing him to Tanya.

She nodded. "To my knowledge."

"Wildwing has this." Mallory suddenly added, gesturing with the mask. "Not you. You're not there…" Her voice grew soft. "I wonder why you're not there."

Canard sighed, taking it from her. "Wildwing," He put it out to his friend.

"What? No Canard, it's yours."

"You heard her,"

"She's Sc-" Wildwing stopped himself while he was ahead. He had been about to say she was schizo, but now was not the time to possibly insult her. "They're just visions Can, just visions…we're on Puckworld, not another planet."

"Take it Wing," Canard's voice developed an edge.

Wildwing found he could do nothing more than shake his head. "No," he repeated.

"He will take it in due time," Mallory predicted.

Canard let his arm fall, the mask resting by his side. "I'll use it for now." He raised it to his face, the exterior flashing from white to gold.

He walked to the window, pulling up the blinds slightly to see outside where in the distance; Saurian ships were walking around on their stilted legs.

"The mask put them into dimensional Limbo once, we can do it again."


	12. Saurian Overload

Grin sat, meditating, all the while aware of the little redhead's every move around him. She fidgeted on the couch, paced several times to his right and finally had seated herself across from him.

"What do you see when you close your eyes?"

He opened them slowly. "I see darkness…"

She was quiet for a moment. "So I'm the only one who sees-freak things."

He took a breath, "you are not a freak Mallory…you see what others can only dream of seeing."

Her expression showed she didn't believe him.

"You are a lucky girl, you have someone who looks to you for comfort."

Mallory glanced across the room where Nosedive was sitting at the kitchen table, earning a disproving glare from Wildwing as he lit a cigarette.

"What? I'm stressed."

"You're not smoking in my presence." Wildwing yanked the cigarette out of his little brother's mouth. He broke it in half and chucked it into the nearest trash bin.

Nosedive pulled out another, sticking it into his mouth, but not lighting it.

"You two," Grin gestured between them. "-are soul-mates.."

Mallory shook her head. "This other life…. I fight with him. I fight with him constantly. But he's different…less guarded?"

"A pain in the ass? More or less than he is now?"

She gazed at him, "he's-" She trailed off. "-Not a pain in the ass," she said a little forcefully.

"Of course…"

"I'm a mental patient…why would he want me?"

Grin tilted his head. "You are more than a mental patient."

A sudden weight of exhaustion fell upon her. Grin saw her change in posture and attitude.

"Mallory?"

She raised her eyes to his unsteady, "I'm tired…really ti-" She passed out.

…..

"These episodes she's having are zapping her of her strength," Tanya explained.

"So up her medication," Canard suggested.

"No, then she'll more doped then ever. I don't think she wants to become a drooling vegetable," Nosedive lit the cigarette he had had in his mouth for the past hour. He managed one drag before Wildwing disgustedly yanked it out of his mouth and threw it away.

"Shut up kid," Canard snapped.

"Actually I agree with tha kid…" Duke piped up. "She might lose her usefulness if you fix her medication."

Nosedive shot him a scornful look, "I wasn't talking about her _usefulness._"

Duke shrugged.

"Okay, okay, keep your level of testosterone to a minimum." Tanya stepped between the two, blocking off the teenager's glare from the older duck.

"Who said he had any testosterone?" Duke grumbled.

That did it, Nosedive was up and sitting on top of Duke before anyone could understand what had happened.

"DIVE!" Wildwing uttered, shocked at his brother's fury.

It took him and Canard to pull the kid off of Duke who despite the situation, was laughing. "Ya got a screw loose kid."

"Sit your ass down," Canard forcefully sat Nosedive down in his seat, holding him there with a vice grip.

"What about you-!" Nosedive tried to see around Wildwing who stood in front of him.

"Nosedive, shut up," Canard snapped again.

"Make me!"

The tan duck's hand shot out and closed around the kid's windpipe, pushing his head back. "I'm asking you nicely."

"Go to hell, all of you," Nosedive whispered, his voice barely audible from Canard's hand wrapped around his neck.

"You know what, I've got news for you. You have to stop prancing around like a lovesick duckling, chasing some twenty-two year old mental patient who's only just recently been jail-broken from the loony-bin. She's paranoid schizophrenic you dolt…She's dangerous, you cannot expect to have a _relationship_ with someone who's only _here_ four weeks out of the year and gone the rest."

Nosedive didn't respond.

In the shadows, Mallory stood, listening. Despite her visions, she would never amount to anything but a nutcase in the eyes of her company, minus one person. And that one person was constantly being criticized for his feelings; it was beginning to piss her off.

Instead of acting impulsively, she backed away and returned to bed.

…..

**Ξ****ΥΦ****ϕ****ŧ§****J****: ****$PÑÆ**

**Saurian o-390: The Raptor**

Lord Dragaunus was in a particularly foul mood. Not even the prospect of enslaving the planet that had harbored the flea-bitten Drake Ducaine could brighten his day.

One of his ships had been completely destroyed by a mere girl. No weapons necessary, she just fixed her gaze on it and BOOM, the ship was gone, its main core blown to bits.

Luckily the doomed ship's camera had been salvaged. That's how Dragaunus had made a new victim to conquer. He brought up a frozen image of the female.

She was pretty, even he had to admit; usually he didn't have such feelings about the ducks.

_How did you do it?_

She had no weapon, what did she do that destroyed a five Fliin (similar to ton) alloy metal Hunter?

He typed a code or two on the screen, her face expanded on screen. Key points in her face were highlighted and quickly another screen appeared, a series of faces flashing trying to correlate her face with an identity.

He didn't have long to wait. A positive ID match dinged on the computer. Smoke curled from his nostrils as he read the description of the female.

…

Rain rarely fell on Puckworld, generally it was snow but on a rare chance, Mallory woke up to a heavy downpour.

Getting up she tiptoed out of her room into the dark hallway. Nosedive was standing out on a window porch, soaked.

She slipped through the half open door, not caring about the heavy rain. Within seconds she was as wet as him.

"Dive…" She tried to touch his shoulder but he backed away.

"We can't do this, I can't do this…"

She tried to understand his words. "Why?"

"Because…I'm sick of being the patch-up. I'm only good enough until the other is stabilized and then I'm no good anymore. It's over Mallory, I'm leaving."

He turned to leave, only to have her grab his vest hem. "Don't leave…don't leave me. I heard him, last night… It's not true. We don't need to listen to them. My life has taught me that."

He sighed slowly out his nose.

"I'm not a liar," she murmured.

He backed away, uneasy; her face fell.

Then he took a step a forward, his hand resting against her cheek. "I'm a kid…you're an adult."

"No, you're more of an adult than you realize." She embraced him not caring about his reaction.

"You're wet," he muttered.

"So are you," she stated back.


	13. Aerowing 372

**Puckworld Special Forces: 1500hours**

Canard opened a folder to appear like he was paying attention to the debriefing that Flightwyng was giving. Instead, he was occasionally glancing down at a diagram of an Aerowing. He knew of one that had been decommissioned, the Aerowing 372.

He felt with some degree of confidences that Tanya was smart enough to upgrade it with the necessary equipment. The military was content with just sitting back for the moment and letting the events unfold.

Canard felt otherwise. If too much time lapsed then Puckworld would be once again taken over by pompous cold-blooded over-grown lizards. He looked at the clock; it was only twenty minutes into the meeting; _an hour and forty more minutes to go. _

…..

Tanya watched Canard spread a diagram out on her light table. "It's an Aerowing…372 right?"

He nodded. "There's been one that was mothballed a few years ago."

"So…what's this?" She waved a hand at the picture of the aerowing.

Canard smiled, pulling three pieces of trace paper out of his satchel. He unrolled them and laid them on top of the diagram. The new pages showed an upgraded state-of-the-art Aerowing. "Can you pull this off?"

"Can I pu-" She stuttered, staring at the plane on the paper. "Show me," she ordered suddenly.

…..

**Forgotten Bunker: Aerowing Hangar**

Tanya followed Canard through the maze that led to Puckword's largest Aerowing Hangar and manufacturing plant.

She watched in awe as large machines wielded Aerowings together. He took a detour down a dark hallway to a metal door with a keypad. After punching in the code, a series of locks contracted opening the door.

He pushed it open; at first Tanya couldn't see anything. But then overhead lights snapped on, one by one; and she found herself staring at an Aerowing 372. A sly smile spread across her face.

Canard glanced at her. "Yeah?"

Her small smile turned into a grin, "yeah."

…

**Later**

"You want to upgrade this without the permission of the general? Of the Council."

Canard ran his hand over the rented metal of the Aerowing, an injury from a previous battle. "Yes."

Wildwing made a 'puh' noise. Nosedive turned to look at him like he was nuts. "And what are you going to do with it after you make it all pretty again?"

Canard kept his gaze on the ship, "fly it. Dragaunus is building a command tower. A headquarters if you will-"

"Who is Dragaunus?" Duke asked, as he picked up a dead power rod.

"Drop it," Canard commanded. "Lord Dragaunus, a Saurian who prides himself on being Overlord of just about every Saurian legion out there."

"Really?" Nosedive asked.

"No, notice the word _pride_… There are others out there higher on the food chain than him, not many though. He's the only one with enough guts to try and enslave another planet, twice it appears."

He turned to Wildwing, "we're going to build a resistance Wing."

"With what, with who?"

"Us… We all have-_unique qualities-_" Canard's eyes flickered to Duke. "We all have something that can be brought to the table. Now what I'm asking is, are you with me?"

It was a lot to stomach; in the end everyone raised a hand, signaling they were in; everyone except Nosedive and Mallory who had hung in the shadows with him not far away.

Canard watched them for a moment; he knew she would be in but the kid. He really didn't want him hanging around while things were being sorted out and the Aerowing was being fixed.

However, deep down Canard felt a strange need for Nosedive to be on the team. Why? He didn't know.

"Dive."

The blonde glanced his way, uninterested, his gaze had been fixed on the redhead from the moment they had entered the hangar.

"You didn't raise a hand."

"You gonna sue me? Don't think you want me soiling the air any more than I have to."

"That's not what I was eluding to. I'm asking you if you want to be with us. I'm not going to pressure you into it."

"Funny, Captain Canard Thunderbeak never wanted Dive bef-" Tanya clapped a hand down on Mallory's beak.

"Mallory, not now."

Everyone was watching her curiously though. "No, what were you saying?" Canard prompted.

Mallory's eyes were glassy.

_"A tunnel of light, bright…"_ she murmured, _"Canard only wanted Wildwing Flashblade when he pulled him and his brother into an alley, away from the evil. Wildwing won't have it, not without his brother Nosedive. A deal Canard cut, a deal only if Nosedive stayed out of his way."_

"What alley?" Wildwing muttered.

Silence

"Well," Canard broke the awkward silence. "So Dive, you in or out?"

Mallory reached out to Nosedive, taking his fingers in hers. He observed her hand in his for a moment and then looked at the tan duck. "I'm in."

….

It turned out Nosedive wasn't as useless as people let on. He was really quite knowledgeable when it came to mechanics, once he put his mind to it of course.

Mallory sat watching him as he blowtorched old unusable metal off the Aerowing. Once the plane was stripped bare, nothing but the frame left; Tanya began her work on rebuilding the aircraft.

_This could work, _she thought as she watched the kid and Mallory share a water bottle. The redhead refused to drink from the actual bottle, rather drinking from a separate cup. _This could work._

…..

**Later**

"What is the purpose of your obsession with the Aerowing 372?"

Canard turned around to see Commander Flightwyng standing in the doorway of the office. Thankfully no one else was in there except for Wildwing who blew his cover by turning red in the face.

"Sir?"

"Oh don't Sir me…I've seen the surveillance footage."

Canard threw his pen onto his desk and leaned back in his chair far enough to make the springs squeak in defiance. "Okay, my question is who really cares? The Aerowing has sat in that hangar since before I was in diapers."

"It's not your call," Flightwyng seethed. "If you weren't who you are, I'd suspend you. Stop your pathetic regime or I will."

"No."

Wildwing choked on his drink, earning a look from Flightwyng.

"Excuse me?" The commander asked dangerously.

"I said no, I have a source that points towards these actions being the right course."

"Who? the nutcase?"

"If I remember correctly, it was you who wanted her out of the mental institution."

"Yes well, that was before _your_," the Commander's eyes bored into Wildwing's, "no-good brother got involved with her."

Anger took Wildwing by surprise. It was starting to piss him off at everyone's callous remarks about what a f***-up Nosedive supposedly was. He was _his _brother, therefore he didn't care nor did he ever see Nosedive as such. He didn't trust himself to say anything, so he kept his mouth shut.

"This isn't about Nosedive, this about the Aerowing, which if my timing is right…" Canard glanced at his desk clock, "-the plane should almost be completely remodeled."

Flightwyng opened his mouth to retort, but no sound came out. "Fine…" he snapped, "I don't want to hear anything-anything about any of this. I don't know, I didn't hear, I didn't see…got that Thunderbeak?"

"Yes sir."


	14. A last day in bliss

Canard slowly circled the Aerowing, taking in everything. Out of everyone who worked on the plane, Nosedive looked the most pleased. Canard studied him for a moment.

"Ever driven anything before kid?"

Nosedive shrugged, "stole a car once, I crashed it."

Canard winced. "Never flown then, I presume."

Nosedive shook his head. "Why? Are you gonna teach me to fly?"

Canard grunted an unintelligent answer. "I don't know that it's wise to teach you to fly anything…" His eyes rested on Mallory for a split second.

"I'll teach him."

Wildwing had his arms crossed.

"Not with this you're not, I put too much into it," Tanya gave the Aerowing a pat.

…

"Where are we going?"

"Shh," Wildwing pulled Nosedive through a door and snapped on a few lights. A large semi-enclosed machine sat in the far end of the room. "Sit down."

Hesitantly, Nosedive sat down in the chair, he found himself looking at a screen. Wildwing pulled out a key hanging with his military tags; he fit it into a keyhole. The machine hummed to life, the screen pulsing gently as it came to life.

Nosedive shifted, uneasy. "What are we doing?"

Wildwing smiled, "it's a flight simulator baby bro, it's the best way to learn to the basics. It's how I learned."

"Wing," Nosedive began awkwardly.

The white drake paused.

"You're sorely deluded if you think I can learn this."

Wildwing considered his little brother who had a forlorn face. "Nosedive," He rested his back against the machine so he was facing the kid. "You are not stupid, do you understand me? There is nothing wrong with you."

"I know," Nosedive mumbled.

"No, you don't know. You can say you know all you want, but you don't. I'm sick and tired of hearing what a screw up you are from idiotic, pea-brained, morons who know nothing about you. I'm not taking it anymore, least of all from you…so shut up about how stupid you are, because you're not!"

Silence ensued.

When Nosedive didn't take the initiative to say anything, Wing muttered, "right." He punched a few buttons; different windows on the screen coming up. Then a realistic view of Iceling City appeared; Nosedive had a hard time understanding that it was just a computer.

"Come on," Wildwing gestured to the controls.

Cautiously, Nosedive wrapped his fingers around the joystick.

"In here, it's called a flight control.., in the planes we still refer to them as such, the military will tell you different." He pointed to buttons, "these are for the landing and this," he pointed to a color coded handle, "is the throttle, puts speed into your flight."

Nosedive nodded mutely.

They spent an hour, getting a feel for the cockpit and its controls. At the end of their session, Wildwing let Nosedive lift the plane off the ground and land it. The vibrations matching those of the jarring impacts, should he have been in a real plane.

"A natural," Wildwing patted him on the back as they left the room. "You fly better than me."

"You're just saying that," Nosedive felt his face heat up.

"Nah, ask Canard, he never lets me be the pilot. I'm always copilot."

...

"Here we go, nice and easy, that's it baby…yeah-" Duke slowly picked the lock to Tanya's office. He heard a click and grinning broadly, stowed his lock-pick away into his pocket. He turned the nob and eased the door open just enough….

"YYYEEAAA!"

Mallory barely twitched as Duke jumped back, and crashed into the door. He grabbed ahold of the doorframe for support. "Don't. Do. That. To. ME"

Her hazel eyes drifted to the open door, studying it. "You know, I have a problem too. If I can control it then so can you."

"Sweetheart, this ain't a problem, this is a way of life." Duke spread his arms out wide to emphasize his point.

Mallory didn't respond. "Shut the door."

Duke grinned again, his heart slowing from the hammering. "Is that an order or are you asking?"

"It's not right, Tanya is housing us."

"Ah sweetheart, life is not right."

The door slammed shut on its own, narrowly missing Duke's fingers. "I said shut the door and keep it shut."

Okay, okay, keep your tail feathers together, you don't want me in there, I won't be in there. Relax sweetheart."

"Stop calling me that." She walked away.

…

Nosedive slowly lowered himself down on the bed, careful to not make rapid movement around Mallory; lately she was easily spooked.

She didn't move or face him, telling him she was in one of her moods again. Five minutes after he shut the lights out, she stirred, moving closer to him.

He glanced at her. "What?"

"Nothing," her tone was quiet.

"When was the last time you took your meds?"

Silence answered him. "Mal, you need to take your medication." He sat up.

She moved so fast that he almost missed her movements completely. She was sitting on his chest, straddling him. "The medication makes me sick…I don't want it. You have to understand that."

"Mal."

"You have to understand that," she repeated.

"Mal, I understand, but do you like the mood swings?"

She remained quiet, her weight balanced equally on top of him. "Can you fly now?" she changed the subject.

"Only with a game," Nosedive muttered. "Tanya doesn't want me flying the Aerowing."

"She will," Mallory rolled off him, laying on her side. "She will."

….

Dragaunus listened to Chameleon's feet as he padded around him; he kept his eyes closed. He knew the Puckworld inhabitants were aware of him and his platoon; the military by now had raised an alarm, he was sure.

"Boss, when are we gonna get some action?"

Dragaunus opened his eyes, smoke curling from his nostrils, "tomorrow…we attack tomorrow."


	15. Dogfight

**S'ion: Next day**

Nosedive rolled onto his side, blearily opening his eyes. Mallory was still next to him, her chest rising slowly. He stretched, feeling his joints and bones crack and pop. If he had it his way, he wouldn't leave the bed; he was enjoying the warmth too much.

A hand wrapped around his under the blanket. He glanced over to see Mallory awake and forgot himself, staring. The sun was streaming through the partially closed blinds, the beginning of a new day; its golden rays radiating around her figure.

He opened his mouth, trying to figure out exactly how he wanted to tell her she was beautiful. He never got a chance as the building and the world itself shook and exploded…

…

Wildwing woke up to his alarm beeping. Groaning, he slapped it until it shut off. Across the room, Canard snorted. "Problems?"

"No," Wildwing moaned, he ran his fingers disjointedly through his hair, making it stand up more. "Guess I should get up…"

"Nah," Canard's voice was light with amusement. "Dive never gets up before eight."

"True."

"How did he do with the flight simulator?"

Wildwing opened an eye, "he's a natural."

Canard smiled, "he's a Flashblade, how is he anything-?" He was cut short as the room shook hard enough for the ceiling to shed dust; it rained down on them like confetti. "What the hell?"

….

Grin had already been up for four hours, he made himself an herbal drink, lit a few incense and sat himself down in the middle of Tanya's room to meditate. In the distance he thought he heard the sounds of airships. He opened his eyes to see A lithe figure standing in his viewing space.

Duke was rubbing his head, his suave attitude deflated. "We're in trouble Grin, big trouble."

Leaning slightly to the left, Grin was able to see around Duke in time to survey a large ship zip by the large wall-to-floor atrium window.

He took in a sharp breath, the ship had been skeletal and red. A Saurian hunter o-390. "It's begun."

…..

Tanya was bent over a new gadget, her eyes blurring over from the three hours she had spent staring at it. She thought it was her hand that was shaking.

"Damnit," she cursed as she missed the magnetic bolts for the third time.

Then the table started trembling, its weight not enough to keep it from barely bouncing around the small area. Tanya glanced around, her eyes taking in the room and the ceiling as everything jerked and shook.

She stood up, striding to the window and threw open the curtains. Thousands of searchlights were strewn about the city, jumping erratically about. Her mouth slackened in shock. "Drake Ducaine, help us all."

"Nosedive GET UP!"

Nosedive wind-milled out of bed. "Wha? Wha?"

The door slid open and his brother appeared, wearing white battle armor. Nosedive paused for a brief second.

"What are you wearing bro?"

"Never mind," Canard came into the room carrying smaller armor. "Get dressed ASAP."

"Why? What was that, an earthquake?"

Mallory had risen from bed, drawing to the window slowly. She lifted a blind and stared outside quietly.

Nosedive stumbled up to her and yanked the blinds string up. "Holy sh-What is that? What the hell is going on!"

"The Saurians are attacking," Canard stated shortly.

"What?" Nosedive repeated.

"Get dressed," Canard left. "Mallory come with me."

Nosedive watched her go, numb.

…

Mallory turned around to face her reflection in the mirror. The armor Tanya had given her felt her beautifully; Mallory had been skeptical at first. In her hands, she held the medication bottle. Tanya had told her to take the pill. She didn't want to but Nosedive's words came back to her. _Do you like the mood swings-mood swings- mood swings…._the words were bouncing in her head until they became deafening. She shut her eyes, trying to block out the loudness.

"Mallory?"

She turned to see Wildwing.

"We're going, come on."

….

Tanya's apartment was empty when Mallory and Wildwing left. He led her through the streets, sticking to the dark alleys. They made it to the military base. Wildwing waved his ID badge at a computer; the guards had long since abandoned their posts.

Wildwing hurried Mallory along and pushed her through an unmarked door, into an argument between Canard and Commander Salazar Flightwyng.

"You do not have authorization to fly that plane!"

"The Saurians are mobilizing and attacking us Salazar…." Canard shot back with the same amount of anger. "We've sat and twiddled our thumbs while they floated on our backdoor for the last two months! We need to do something and if you're not willing to do something then my team is!"

"You will not!" Flightwyng looked crazed, as his eyes grew larger.

"Try stopping me," Canard stormed towards Wildwing and Mallory. "Let's go."

"This is all her fault! I never should have let your out of that nut-job facility!"

Mallory didn't respond, her eyes were slightly glassy. Canard glanced down at her hands; she was still holding her medication.

"Too late," Canard snapped. He and the other two left.

…

Canard slammed the Aerowing 372's door shut and locked it with a code. "GO! The lock won't hold them off for long." He ran up the ramp and threw himself into the pilot seat, flicking switches, activating codes and passwords.

"Tanya!"

The blonde snapped to attention.

"Get her to take her meds."

Right away, Tanya whorled on Mallory. "You haven't taken them? Mallory."

"_Death and destruction…a world at war-voices…" _Mallory's voice was strained. _"Drake Ducaine…Iceling…Rosetta Bing-"_

"Tanya!" Canard's tone cracked like a whip, breaking the silence spell.

Tanya quickly opened a bottled water and took out the correct dosage. "Take it Mallory. Take it now."

Shaking, Mallory reached out, her motor control shot as her fingers refused to cooperate. Tanya ended up putting the pill into her mouth herself, pressing the water to Mallory's beak. Within the minutes, she was calmer, her eyes becoming alert again.

"Engine running," Canard said outloud.

"Engine running," Duke repeated.

"Computer online?"

"Online," Wildwing responded.

Canard opened a hatch in the ceiling of the hangar as the Aerowing rose up and slid back into position for takeoff. He pulled the Drake Ducaine mask out and sealed it to his face. "Let's get this show on the road."

He slapped the thrusters as far as it could go, shooting the Aerowing off like a rocket into the sky.

"Battle-ready," he commanded.

In response, weapons discharged from closed compartments on the exterior of the plane. A Saurian Hunter turned towards them in the sky, its skeletal face eerie.

"It's firing!" Mallory suddenly screamed out.

Her sudden outburst made even Canard twitch. He glanced back in time to see she was correct as a ray shot out of an appearing plasma cannon. "Hold on!"

He jerked the Aerowing to the left, narrowly avoiding the ray as it disintegrated the side of a building.

The Saurian ship drew closer.

…..

On screen, the cockpit of the Aerowing grew clearer and Dragaunus was able to see Captain Canard Thunderbeak.

"That's him, get him now!" He roared. In response, Siege fired at the Aerowing.

Canard took the Aerowing into a steep dive, he punched a few buttons; behind him, Nosedive was a little green.

"Uh Can?"

"What."

"Don't do that again, please."

"I second that," Duke agreed.

…

"Flyghtwyng, we can't leave them up there, it'll be a suicide mission." Lieutenant Marsha Cyldetale raged.

"Canard made his fate!" Flyghtwyng snapped.

Clydetale let her hand hit the desk, fed-up. She turned to the others. "And you? Are you going to abandon them? They are our soldiers."

The ducks looked uneasy with Flightwyng so near. Then one, grizzled Flound Tiredsky, stood up. "Ready the airmen..we're sending them up."

Marsha's face set into determination. She shot Flightwyng a glare and stalked out.

…

"_Aerowing 372, this is Lightwing 7246….permission to join ranks."_

"They're asking?" Wildwing asked incredulously.

"Formalities even when we're about to be blown out of the sky." Canard savagely squeezed off a missile at the Saurian ship still firing at them. He made his target as the missile flattened itself against the side of the ship.

….

"Damnit Siege! What's the damage?"

Siege was for once stunned to silence. Chameleon shape-shifted into a willowy, bent over old duck with wispy white hair and big thick glasses. "Uh-uh, it would appear that the plasma gun mount has been blown to b-b-bits."

"Shut up!" Dragaunus snarled, only to be almost thrown out of his chair as another blast hit the ship. "What the-!"

"More mangy ducks, boss," Siege relayed.

Dragaunus's eyes flashed red. "Fine, break out the gun."

"the gun?" Siege asked, trying to sound like he wasn't confused.

"You know, the _gun_."

Siege smiled, his teeth sharp.

"Fire at will."

…..

"Oh shit," Canard uttered.

"Do I wanna know?" Duke had a death grip on his chair.

"Dive."

"What?"

Remember what you said about me not pulling any more aerial stunts?"

"Yeah," Nosedive glanced at Mallory next to him. Her hazel eyes were like liquid as she surveyed him.

"Sorry."

"Huh?" He never got to add anything.

Canard spun the plane upward into a belly-roll. Even Tanya, who had been in planes before, shut her eyes.

An unbelievable loud rush of air shot by the plane's left wing. "What the hell was that!" Wildwing exclaimed.

"A new saurian weapon I would imagine."


	16. Tabula Rasa

"Blast! You missed them didn't you!" Dragaunus's eyes flashed red. Siege was interrupted as the Raptor shook with another shot from one of the Puckworld planes.

"You'll all imbeciles!"

"We are doomed," Wraith moaned.

"Shut it Wraith!" Dragaunus snarled. "Fire again!"

…..

"Take the controls Wing," Canard murmured.

"What? Why?"

"Just do it," the tan duck snapped.

Reluctantly, Wildwing flipped a few buttons to set the commanding controls as primary in his own chair.

Canard stood up, opening a cabinet in the back of the plane. He pulled out two small egg shaped explosives.

"What are you doing?" Duke asked.

Canard pulled the mask off, handing it to Nosedive. "To live up to my title as a maverick." With that he pounded the control panel once with his fist, opening the side door of the plane.

"Canard!" Wildwing's voice was lost in the rush of air. On his screen a symbol came up, beeping erratically.

"Be ready with the plane!" Canard yelled back at him. "B-4, nine, ninety-niner! Remember that Wing!" Then he disappeared.

For a moment Wildwing sat in shock. Nosedive slapped his restraints off and sat in the pilot chair in time to see Canard roll head over heels to his feet, onto a Saurian o-390.

"Wing!" Nosedive shoved his brother to wake him up.

"Strap in," Wildwing woke out of his reverie. "Grin keep the door open, and wait by it for Canard."

Below them, Canard set one of the eggs to detonate and threw it towards one of the propellers of the Saurian ship.

Canard took off running across the surface of the o-390, at which Wildwing and Nosedive followed his movements. Just as the egg exploded, Canard leaped off the ship and landed in the Aerowing.

"Left!" Wildwing ordered; the Aerowing flicked onto its left side, taking most of the fiery impact. The sudden lost in gravity threw Canard into the wall.

Ignoring the pain, he asked for a damage report from Tanya.

"Not much, the thermal shields held up. A bit scorched, but that's it."

Satisfied, Canard turned his attention to the Raptor. "Let's go greet Daddy."

…..

Dragaunus heard the loud explosion, thinking it was the Raptor he asked for the damage report. Siege somewhat sheepishly said, "it wasn't us."

"What!"

Chameleon brought up the live feed on the big screen in time to see a tan duck do the leap of faith from an exploding Saurian o-390 into the Aerowing.

"I want that duck roasted! Now, shoot now!"

Siege punched a button, grinning at the prospect of blood, only to miss as the Aerowing twisted the to left to avoid the fire ball from the Saurian o-390. Their blast lit a Lightwing up like a lightbulb.

Dragaunus pounded his chair's armrest in fury.

….

Mallory felt herself growing more and more detached until she wasn't even in the Aerowing but somewhere else. She could feel the stifling heat of the Raptor and more importantly the rotted breath of the Saurians.

With almost no energy at all, she imagined jamming the autopilot and hovering system. In actuality, the Raptor did just that. Jamming in place without the knowledge of its occupants. She slowly returned to present, foggy. She knew she didn't have much time.

She lifted her gaze up to Canard who was coaching the two pilots on where to be and where to fire on the Raptor. She felt an overwhelming feeling that Puckworld would be safe again.

….

"Uh, boss?"

"What?" Dragaunus had his hand over his eyes.

"They're getting a lock on us to fire," Chameleon was an unhealthy shade of green.

"Then. Move. Out. Of. The. Way." Dragaunus explained like Chameleon was slow.

"We can't," Siege replied.

Dragaunus took his hand away from his eyes in time to see a missile heading right for them. He glanced at the hovering system light and autopilot. Both were lit up in orange. Red meant fine, orange meant system failure.

"Abandon ship!" Chameleon shrieked, an act Dragaunus had a sneaky suspicion was more for dramatics than actual reaction. He watched his three henchmen disappear in green light as they teleported in time.

Smoke curling from his nostrils, he growled, "we'll meet again you mangy mongrels." He disappeared just as the Raptor exploded.

…..

It took a moment to realize that the fight was almost over. Once all the Puckworld pilots saw that the Raptor had been destroyed, seemingly with their evil occupants, cheering blew over the speakers.

"I'm glad that's over," Duke muttered. "Can I return to the pysch ward now? And I ain't leaving for anything. I'm staying there-" He glanced at Mallory, his half smile fading as he saw she was limp. "Sweetheart? Hey Mal?"

Canard turned as he heard Duke call Mallory's name. "Tanya." He knelt in front of her, picking her head up gently to see her face.

Her eyes were open but they were glassy and had a faraway look, like no one was home. Tanya all about pushed him out of the way.

"What's going on?" Nosedive started to get out of his chair but Canard stopped him.

"Fly the plane."

"But-"

"You're a pilot Dive, fly the plane."

Nosedive lowered himself back into the chair and reluctantly took the controls.

"Mallory," Tanya called. She snapped her fingers by the girl's ear, not receiving any response. "She's alive, she's just…." It hit Tanya, "she's catatonic."

"What's that?" Canard asked.

Tanya shrugged. "It sometimes happens with schizophrenics…she has to come out of it on her own."

"Will she?" Grin asked, his voice soft.

Tanya felt a pang of sympathy. Her hard attitude created by the military had certainly changed since she met this gifted young woman. "I don't know." She took Mallory's hand. "I just don't know."

…..

**Six Months later**

Canard's team was awarded for their bravery during the short invasion attack from the Saurians. It changed Nosedive's options in life. He decided on his own, he didn't want to be apart of the military unless he absolutely had to.

This decision raised eyebrows from the officials, but they didn't push him. At the service for the soldiers lost on the Lightwing, one person was missing.

Mallory hadn't recovered. Even six months later, she was still frozen, hooked up to feeding tubes and a respirator. Nosedive had agonized over the decision. Did she want to live life this way? But he couldn't pull the plug and neither could her parents, who both suddenly had nothing but good things to say about her; once they realized she had been part of the operation against the Saurians.

Nosedive hated them, but for her, he kept his mouth shut and tolerated their presence.

It was almost six months to the day that Mallory lost awareness, Nosedive walked into the psychiatric ward. Almost immediately, he was greeted by the nurses who knew him on a first name basis and vise versa.

He nodded his acknowledgement and entered Mallory's room. He sat down and talked about his day, how the traffic sucked, but the knowledge of knowing life could go on without Saurian rule was better.

Wildwing had been promoted to Captain and Canard to Major. Duke was still a klepto and probably always would be. Grin still spouted zen proverbs and Tanya had been given her own lab and techies.

He fell silent, watching her. His visiting time was almost up. Just as he stood to leave, he saw her right hand twitch. He paused, thinking it had to be a trick of the light. Then he saw her hand move again.

He bent over her, "Mal?"

She didn't answer. Then her eyes twitched and slowly slid to his face.

"Can you hear me?"

She looked confused but then nodded. Her mouth opened and she spoke. "Air….Am I?"

"You're in the hospital…something happened to you in the Aerowing when we were fighting the Saurians."

"Saurians." She repeated.

"Do you remember? It was six months ago."

"Six months…I've been here for six months."

"Yeah."

She sighed softly. Outside, the sun was sinking below the horizon. It's rays flooded the room until they shone brightly around Mallory.

He opened his mouth, trying to figure out exactly how he wanted to tell her she was beautiful. This time, he managed the words.

"You're beautiful."

She smiled, "so are you."


End file.
